TracFone by Jana Turcsanyiova

TracFone Wireless or TracFone is a mobile phone provider, subsidiary of America Movil the largest Latin American mobile network operator; that provides prepaid mobile phone service in the United States, Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin Islands. TracFone is currently the sixth-largest mobile network operator and the largest mobile virtual network operator in the U.S. market with 9.895 million customers (as of March 2008).
TracFone Wireless is attempting to stop cell phone traffickers from purchasing low-cost phones and tweaking the software to make them work on any cell network globally. This practice is causing the company to lose millions of dollars. These phones are usually sold for a discount because TracFone subsidizes the handsets anticipating that it will make money from customers when they purchase airtime for the phone.
TracFone Wireless settled a class-action suit alleging that it misled consumers by charging them at the roaming rate in their home calling area as well as refusing to extend prepaid service periods during repairs of defective handsets. The settlement goes to 12 million to 13 million TracFone customers and could reach $70 million.
TracFone's lawsuit against Thomas (the judgment, handed down on March 5 by U.S. Judge David C. Godbey of the Northern District of Texas, prohibits defendant James Ray Thomas and his co-conspirators from continuing to engage in the bulk purchase, sale, or unlocking of TracFone's wireless phones) is part of a nationwide effort to stop criminals across the country who steal the subsidies that TracFone provides to make its wireless phones affordable for legitimate customers. Perpetrators like Thomas purchase subsidized TracFone prepaid phones, hack out the software in the phones, and ship them outside the United States where they are resold as new to unsuspecting consumers in other countries for a substantial profit.
TracFone has filed 28 lawsuits against more than 80 defendants in federal courts throughout the country as part of a concerted effort to stamp out this fraud, and to protect TracFone's customers and shareholders, as well as wireless consumers generally, from the effects of this misconduct. The judgment against Thomas is the 12th victory for TracFone in these cases.

related story: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080713/ap_on_re_us/cell_phone_trafficking;_ylt=AhwFzr0VcFfFLj20.qrxiqis0NUE

by Jana Turcsanyiova for PocketNews (http://pocketnews.tv)

PocketNews is a new real-time news broadcaster delivering the latest and hottest news right to your pocket ! With global clients who want to be kept up to date, PocketNews is everyone's way of keeping in touch with the World.<br><br><font size=2>These news are original content from young talents around the world and are selected for you by Chris Cantell.</font><br>

posted by Lucia Adamova