This story, which has been building steam over that last several months has been covered multiple times in this space. Data brokers have made a habit of using pretexual interview techniques to illicit the details of cell phone records from unsuspecting telephone company operators.

The controversial, although apparently not technical illegal practice has already brought down continued heat on practitioners and has resulting in several civil actions from telecom companies against offending investigative firms. The ante has just been raised as the Federal Trade Commission has taken action against five firms suspected of trafficing in the missapropriated phone records.

The latest details, via Slashdot:

Posted by Zonk on Thursday May 04, @03:27PM
from the argh-my-records dept...carl writes:

"According to an MSNBC article, the FTC has sued five different background investigation firms for selling confidential phone records." From the article: "In the lawsuits announced Wednesday, the FTC charged the companies used 'false pretenses, fraudulent statements, fraudulent or stolen documents or other misrepresentations, including posing as a customer of a telecommunications carrier' to get the phone records. The companies advertised on their Web sites that they could get the confidential phone records of any individual and make them available for a fee, the agency said."

The actual complaints filed by the FTC can also be viewed on the commission's website under their list of current actions. Here's a quick summary:

• Federal Trade Commission, Plaintiff, v. Information Search, Inc. and David J. Kacala, individually and as an officer of Information Search, Inc., Defendants. United States District Court for the District of Maryland Northern Division, Civil Action No.: 1:06-CV-01099-AMD; FTC File No.: 062 3102

• Federal Trade Commission, Plaintiff, v. Accusearch, Inc. d/b/a Abika.com, and Jay Patel, Defendants. United States District Court for the District of Wyoming, Civil Action No.: 06-CV-0105; FTC File No.: 052 3126

• Federal Trade Commission, Plaintiff, v. CEO GROUP, INC. d/b/a Check Em Out, and Scott Joseph, Defendants. United States District Court Southern District of Florida, Case No.: 06-60602; FTC File No.: 062 3100

• Federal Trade Commission Plaintiff, v. 77 Investigations, Inc., and Reginald Kimbro, Defendants. United States District Court Central District of California, Case No.: EDCV06-0439 VAP; FTC File No.: 062 3099

• Federal Trade Commission, Plaintiff, v. Integrity Security & Investigation Services, Inc., Defendants. United States District Court Eastern District of Virginia, Civil Action No. 2:06-CV-241-RGD-JEB; FTC File No.: 062 31021

For further details, click here to check out the MSNBC story from which the above Slasdot post seems to have been drawn.

-- MDT

Labels: background checks