Billing lawsuit points the finger at Thumbplay

Mobile content provider Thumbplay is the subject of a class action complaint charging the firm with failing to institute "checks or safeguards" to protect consumers against unauthorized charges. The suit, filed Monday in Cook County Circuit Court by Chicago resident Nikolay Antonov on behalf of both Illinois wireless customers and defrauded subscribers across the U.S., implicates mobile content aggregators, copyright licensors and marketers that fail to clearly display the "service's price, subscription period and cancellation procedures," according to the suit. "Cell phones are morphing into credit cards, but the same security procedures don't apply to phone numbers, which are public information," Antonov's attorney Myles McGuire tells Medill Reports, who added his client is "looking for a recovery for the amount of money he was charged for premium text message services."

McGuire added the suit does not explicitly accuse Thumbplay of intentionally defrauding customers: "We've alleged in the complaint that it's either passive indifference or active cooperation in a scheme to defraud." A statement issued by Thumbplay reads in part "The lawsuit is utterly meritless. We have retained experienced, nationally-recognized counsel and intend to vigorously oppose these claims."

For more on the Thumbplay suit:
- read this Medill Reports article

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