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TALLAHASSEE - Attorney General Charlie Crist has sued a Florida corporation and its officers for improperly selling confidential cell phone and telephone records through its internet sites. Ft. Lauderdale-based 1st Source Information Specialists, Inc., is accused of providing its customers with confidential telephone calling records of unsuspecting consumers.
The Attorney General's lawsuit, filed Tuesday morning in Leon County Circuit Court, alleges that 1st Source deceived telephone companies by impersonating either customers or company employees in order to obtain the personal calling information, in violation of the Florida Unfair and Deceptive Practices Act and civil conspiracy laws. An undercover investigation by the Florida Public Service Commission confirmed that the websites would offer to sell a list of calls made from any given phone number, including cell phones.
"This is beyond an outrage and a gross invasion of privacy," said Crist. "Citizens have a right to expect that their private, personal telephone records will not be used as a cash cow for a third party."
1st Source runs several websites that offer call lists to anyone who wishes to purchase them. Investigators determined that buyers did not have to provide any identification to obtain the records, and only needed to provide the telephone number or numbers to be looked up.
The case is being prosecuted by the Attorney General's Economic Crimes Division. The state is seeking civil penalties and a permanent injunction stopping 1st Source from selling any more personal calling records and requiring the company to return any of the personal records in its possession. The injunctive relief sought by the Attorney General relates to both wireless and landline customers.
Last week, a federal court issued a temporary restraining order against 1st Source on behalf of Cingular Wireless, but that order applies only to Cingular wireless customer calling information.
A copy of the Attorney General's lawsuit is available at:
http://myfloridalegal.com/webfiles.nsf/WF/MRAY-6L8KGC/$file/1stSource_Complaint.pdf 1-24-06
© 2005 North
Country Gazette
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