Lawsuits Over Unwanted Faxes On The Rise

The number of lawsuits filed over spam faxes, robocalls, and solicitous text messages have spiked over the last decade, increasing from 44 in 2009 to 4,860 last year. The lawsuits are filed under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, enacted in 1991 and modified by the 2005 Junk Fax Protection Act, according to the Wal Street Journal. Firms that send unwanted faxes could be fined $500 per message, and that amount may be tripled for willful or knowing violations. With class action suits, that amount escalates quickly. Laser treatment company Cynosure Inc. settled a case over unwanted faxes for $16 million in January. Medical group Advanced Care Scripts settled for $9.25 million last year, and MetLife Inc. settled for $23 million.