Vodafone says it was powerless to stop a hoax "news alert" text going to hundreds of customers last week claiming that former All Black Jonah Lomu had died.

By the time the report was proven to be a hoax, some radio hosts had paid tribute to the 63-Test veteran.

Rugby fans had also written emotional tributes in internet chatrooms.

Lomu's former manager Phil Kingsley-Jones slammed the mock report, sent on Wednesday night, as "sick" and "disgusting" and questioned why Vodafone could not stop it.

Vodafone told Sunday News they had no involvement in the text and said that hundreds of similar hoaxes were sent out daily and they couldn't stop them.

The Vodafone spokesman said the company did not know who the mystery sender was and was not in a position to find out.

"It certainly didn't come from us," he said. "And there is not really a lot that we can do about it."

Kingsley-Jones said he found Vodafone's position on the text troubling.

"It is a huge concern to anybody and it is high profile people that are being targeted," he said. "It shook me up no end.

"It is not the greatest of systems at all. It is like email; if you can get someone's email address you can send them whatever you like. It is worrying."

Kingsley-Jones said the message caused heartache to scores of Lomu fans.

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