FTC Chmn. Deborah Majoras said it was illegal to obtain cellphone records from telecom firms under false pretenses, known as pretexting, in a press conference Thurs. Meanwhile, the FCC is poised to vote on a cellphone record rulemaking at its Feb. meeting and more legislation is emerging on Capitol Hill.
Cingular said it obtained a restraining order from a federal court in Atlanta, stopping information broker eFindOutTheTruth.com from obtaining and selling customer records. The order specifically prohibits employees of the company from using the name or identity of any Cingular employee or customer for any purpose. “Data brokers should know that Cingular will persist in its aggressive fight to protect customer privacy,” said Joaquin Carbonell, gen. counsel.
Cingular said it obtained a restraining order from a federal court in Atlanta, stopping information broker eFindOutTheTruth.com from obtaining and selling customer records. The order specifically prohibits employees of the company from using the name or identity of any Cingular employee or customer for any purpose. “Data brokers should know that Cingular will persist in its aggressive fight to protect customer privacy,” said Joaquin Carbonell, gen. counsel.
Senate Commerce Committee Chmn. Stevens (R-Alaska) wants to move “as quickly as possible” to hearings on legislation to guard consumer phone record privacy, he told media Tues. after a hearing on broadcast flag legislation. Stevens’ statement came as Verizon Wireless filed suit in N.J. against owners of data brokering firm Locatecell.com. And in several states attorneys gen. are moving against data brokers for improperly selling cell and other phone records, as the FCC and FTC run their own investigation (CD Jan 24 p1).
The FCC’s focus in a probe into cellphone data sales remains on wireless carriers and their privacy procedures, sources said Mon. That’s despite disclosure Fri. the Commission subpoenaed owners of 2 websites that sell cellphone customer data and despite the FCC’s working with the FTC on the matter. Fri., the FCC brought together major wireless carriers to discuss how they protect customer records (CD Jan 23 p1). The issue heated up Mon., as T-Mobile filed suit in Wash. state under criminal profiteering laws, pursuing firms the carrier says traffic in cell records.
Mich. Gov. Jennifer Granholm (D) asked the PSC to investigate whether telecom providers in the state have sold or supplied customer account information to information brokers and other commercial interests without informing customers. She also called for state legislation to prohibit release or sale of customer information without the customer’s consent. Her proposal would make unauthorized release of account information a crime, and would also make it a crime to obtain telecom customer account information from carriers under false pretenses. Carriers also would be required to put safeguards on account information and notify customers of any security breaches or unauthorized information releases.
In November 2005, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) issued a general notice advising Customs brokers that the Triennial Status Report Fee of $100 that is assessed for each license held by a broker whether it may be an individual, partnership, association, or corporation, is due during the month of February 2006 (i.e. by February 28, 2006) along with the corresponding status report.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has again revised its Trade Update for Hurricane Katrina. Among other things, CBP's new Trade Update provides new contact information for certain CBP offices and employees and also contains new information concerning entry summary filing.
National wireless carriers were called to the FCC late Fri. for a meeting in the Enforcement Bureau with bureau and other staffers to discuss safeguards to prevent data brokers -- who often sell their services on the Internet -- from obtaining subscriber cellphone records, sources said. Meanwhile, Chmn. Martin told reporters following Fri.’s agenda meeting the Commission has issued several subpoenas as it investigates how companies obtained mobile-phone records.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has recently posted to its Web site its quarterly report on the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) entitled Report to Congress: The Automated Commercial Environment. This report is dated September 30, 2005 and covers the July 1, 2005 - September 30, 2005 period.