Phone records easily accessible online for anyone

AMERICAblog, a political weblog managed quite easily to purchase General Wesley Clark's cell phone records for one month for $90, from a private firm, just by giving his cell phone number and their credit card. This action draws attention to the issue of customers' privacy protection. Cingular Wireless already filed a civil lawsuit a couple of months ago, against two companies - Data Find Solutions, Inc. and 1st Source Information Specialists, Inc. – for illegally obtaining Cingular customers' phone records by posing as customers seeking information about their own accounts. On Friday 13, Cingular announced that they had been granted a Temporary Restraining Order by the U.S. District Court in Atlanta, which will prevent these two companies from obtaining and selling Cingular customers' records. CTIA, the international association for the wireless telecommunications industry, also states that government authorities should take the necessary action to protect customers' privacy by shutting such firms down and bringing them to trial.

Source: AMERICAblog; Cingular Wireless; CTIA