Connecticut Attorney General William Tong filed a lawsuit against Michael D. Lansky, LLC (Avid Telecom) for allegedly initiating billions of illegal robocalls, including to numbers on the National Do Not Call Registry. The company is accused of violating the Telephone Consumer Protection Act and Telemarketing Sales Rule. This action is part of a multistate task force with nearly every state attorney general.
In-house legal teams should review all vendor and service provider agreements, particularly those involving telemarketing, call center services, or lead generation. Focus on clauses governing compliance with the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) and Telemarketing Sales Rule (TSR), including representations and warranties regarding lawful calling practices, use of autodialers or pre-recorded messages, and adherence to the National Do Not Call Registry. Also scrutinize data sharing provisions for call lists, audit rights, and indemnification terms. Required changes may include adding specific compliance certifications, mandatory call recording disclosures, stricter consent verification protocols, explicit prohibitions on calling numbers on do-not-call lists, and robust termination rights for violations.
Entity
Michael D. Lansky, LLC
Also known as: Avid Telecom
Industry
TelecommunicationsOfficial Press Release
https://portal.ct.gov/ag/press-releases/2023-press-releases/attorney-general-tong-sues-avid-telecom-over-illegal-robocalls
conformed complaint avid.pdf?rev=aa2593b4777f412bbd8d5a24282
https://portal.ct.gov/-/media/ag/press_releases/2023/conformed-complaint_avid.pdf?rev=aa2593b4777f412bbd8d5a24282612dc&hash=894C203A1917F34358ED50EA536472F1
Connecticut Attorney General Enforcement Page
https://portal.ct.gov/AG/Privacy/Privacy-Resources
New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin joined a multistate lawsuit against Avid Telecom for allegedly initiating and facilitating billions of illegal robocalls, including to numbers on the National Do Not Call Registry, in violation of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act and Telemarketing Sales Rule. The company is accused of transmitting scam calls and ignoring warnings from the Industry Traceback Group.
$500K
Connecticut Attorney General William Tong announced settlements with SunRun, Inc., Elevate Solar Solutions, and two salespeople over allegations of deceptive solar sales, including impersonating consumers and locking homeowners into long-term contracts without consent. SunRun must pay $300,000 and provide consumer relief; Elevate and the salespeople face a stated $200,000 penalty, with $100,000 suspended subject to ongoing compliance.
$8.0M
Connecticut announced an $8 million settlement with Mylan over allegations that it used agreements to delay generic EpiPen competitors and took other actions that inflated prices. Mylan also agreed to provide 10,000 free EpiPens; the release states that Mylan denies wrongdoing.
Connecticut Attorney General William Tong joined a coalition of 22 attorneys general in filing an amicus brief challenging DHS’s policy and practice of conducting warrantless civil immigration arrests. The press release describes a court challenge, not a privacy enforcement action or monetary penalty.
$625K
Connecticut reached a $625,000 settlement with Frontier Communications Parent Inc. over an April 2024 breach in which compromised employee and vendor credentials were used to access internal systems and exfiltrate unencrypted personal information of 58,841 Connecticut residents. The settlement requires Frontier to strengthen its security program, implement specific safeguards and training, and obtain an independent third-party assessment.
$2.6M
Connecticut and New York found that Boston Children’s Health Physicians and its security vendor, XTIUM, failed to use reasonable safeguards, resulting in hackers accessing sensitive personal, medical, and employee information. The companies agreed to pay penalties totaling $2.64 million and implement enhanced cybersecurity measures.