Phone Record Sales Targeted By Feds, Lawmakers

Government leaders are trying to stop the sale of phone records on several fronts.

The Federal Communications Commission is investigating the sale of phone records now that national attention is focused on the issue. New York Senator Charles Schumer introduced legislation last week to ban the sale, and members of the House of Representatives are drafting their own version.

The Electronic Privacy Information Center filed a complaint about the issue in July and asked the FCC to ban the sale of phone records. This month, investigators and lawmakers became vocal about this issue.

Chicago Sun Times crime reporter Frank Main cast light on the problem in a Jan. 5 article. The article pointed out that the FBI bought records from an agent's cell phone and notified field offices that their agents' security could be threatened by the service.

That was followed by a flurry of activity, including the FCC's announcement of a pending investigation and Schumer's proposal.Schumer would make it a crime to steal and sell cell phone records. He said companies commonly gain information by pretending to be the customer. Schumer said it's illegal to misrepresent oneself to glean financial information but not telephone records. While announcing the proposed legislation last week, he pointed out that some financial, medical and other sensitive information -- like where someone banks and who people see for medical care -- can be gained from the records.

As lawmakers and federal agencies work to end the practice, the FBI continues to investigate and private companies have taken the matter to civil court.