A popular movie theater chain is facing a class action lawsuit over allegations it sent unwanted text messages to individuals to promote the business.
Andria Addison filed the lawsuit May 6 in U.S. District Court in Minnesota against AMC Entertainment claiming she received text message advertisements from the company even though she didn't give them permission to text her.
The lawsuit claims businesses are trying to get around the Do Not Call registry lists by texting cell numbers to advertise their companies.
“As part of their effort to promote business, defendants engaged in an especially aggressive and deleterious form of marketing: the transmission of unauthorized advertisements, in the form of 'text message' calls to the cellular telephones of consumers throughout the nation,” the lawsuit said.
The lawsuit states AMC marketed its text message campaign by putting up posters around its business offering a $1 off of a large fountain drink if moviegoers would provide their cell phone number. Addison contends AMC did not get written consent to then send advertisements to those cell phones.
The suit seeks class action status for those who received one or more text message advertisements from AMC since Oct. 16, 2013. Addison is also seeking up to $500 in statutory damages and up to $1,500 for each violation of federal law for each class member.
She is represented by J. Gordon Rudd Jr., Patricia A. Bloodgood and June P. Hoidal of Zimmerman Reed, PLLP of Minneapolis, Minn.
United States District Court District of Minnesota case number 0:15-cv-02420.