Washington State Attorney General Rob McKenna has filed a lawsuit against Florida-based Dinav Holding, which allegedly sent tens of thousands of text messages to residents during a period in May with offers to receive “quick cash” from payday loans. It marks the first lawsuit by an Attorney General against text message spammers.

“Consumers pay for text messaging in order to stay in touch with family, friends and business contacts – not to receive spam that’s as illegal as it is annoying,” said Washington State Attorney General Rob McKenna in a release. “This lawsuit is a reminder to spammers that there are consequences for breaking the law.”

The outgoing Attorney General accuses Dinav of violating the federal Telephone Consumer Protection Act; the Washington State Commercial Electronic Mail Act; and the Washington State Consumer Protection Act. Those laws allow for damages of $500 per violation.

Here’s more from the AG’s office on the campaign:

When Washington residents received Dinav’s texts, some likely clicked on the links promising easy money. When they did, they were required to fill out personal information and click a button labeled “Send Me Cash!” They landed on a Web page that proclaimed, “CONGRATULATIONS! You have been matched with the best loan providers in Washington.”

However, McKenna, who kept a close eye on electronic communications issues during his time in office, said that those listed are not licensed to make payday loans in Washington state.

Here’s a copy of the full suit:

Text Message suit

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