Mobile Phone Industry Fraud

The United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announces that Christopher Goff receives a stiff prison sentence for his transgression. The punishment is for Goff’s participation in a fraudulent scheme to charge mobile phone customers millions of dollars in monthly fees. The fees, ironically, are for unsolicited and recurring text messages. Even worst, is that the customers have no knowledge of the scheme and do not provide prior consent. The dubious practice is known as “auto-subscribing.”  To illustrate the magnitude of the operation, Goff’s fraud results in the theft of over $50 million from consumers throughout the United States. Finally, justice is served and Goff receives a 30-month prison term, along with two years of supervised release and ordered to forfeit $352,799.56.

The Manhattan U.S. Attorney responsible for the case mentions that “Christopher Goff conspired with others in an auto-subscribing scam that stole $50 million from unwitting consumers.  In return for lists of mobile phone users to victimize, Goff netted more than $350,000 in short-term gain – and a substantial term in prison.”

Auto-Subscribing Scheme Details

Christopher Goff is the former account manager for Mobile Messenger, a U.S. aggregation company in the mobile phone industry.  For context, mobile aggregators like Mobile Messenger compile, or “aggregate,” charges for premium text messaging services. For example, services may come in the form of monthly horoscopes, celebrity gossip, or trivia facts on consumers’ mobile phone bills.  Between 2011 and 2013, Goff and his co-conspirators engage in a massive scheme to defraud ordinary consumers. The fraudsters achieve their goal by placing bogus charges for premium text messaging services on unsuspecting consumer cell phone bills.  To illustrate, and provide context, the practice is known as “auto-subscribing.”