AT&T Aids & Abets iPhone Thieves, Class Action Lawsuit Says

A class action lawsuit claims AT&T “actively and without reservation aided, abetted, and assisted” iPhone thieves by allowing the stolen handsets to be reactivated on its network.

According to the class action lawsuit, AT&T made millions of dollars in improper profits by forcing “legitimate customers” to buy new cell phones and cell phone plans “while the criminals who stole the phone are able to simply walk into AT&T stores and ‘re-activate’ the devices, using different, cheap, readily available SIM cards.”

The AT&T stolen iPhone class action lawsuit says AT&T does this without checking with the registered owner of the phone, despite having these details on record.

 

“Each such cellular device is identifiable, as a hand-held cell phone, by the IMEI imprinted on the same, and said serial number is readily visible to, and apparent to, all stores, businesses, and Defendant employees when the device is activated or a new cell phone usage plan is turned on by defendants.”

 

The class action lawsuit further claims AT&T fraudulently tells victims that “they will not, and cannot, block and effectively kill usage of such stolen cell phones by thieves and criminal organizations,” effectively forcing customers to buy a new phone.

The class action lawsuit was filed just days after U.S. carriers — including AT&T, Verizon Wireless, Sprint and T-Mobile — announced they will create a new database that will prevent cell phones that have been reported as lost or stolen from being reconnected to the network.

An AT&T spokesperson said the class action lawsuit is “without merit, but criminals stealing smartphones is a serious issue, which is why earlier this week we joined with law enforcement, the FCC and other wireless carriers to announce additional steps to provide a comprehensive industry and government response to the problem of wireless device theft.”

The AT&T stolen phone class action lawsuit is seeking damages, disgorgement of profits and injunctive relief for all AT&T customers who had their phones stolen and suffered the alleged claims described above.

A copy of the AT&T Stolen Phone Class Action Lawsuit can be read here.

The case is Hilary White, et al. v. AT&T, Inc., et al., Case No. 34-2012-00122192, Superior Court of the State of California, County of Sacramento.