Denver company USA Skiptrace is one of 14 companies nationwide being investigated by a federal panel for selling private cellphone records and other personal information.
USA Skiptrace owner John Strange said he no longer sells cellphone records over the Internet. Strange said he is a “middleman” who would buy requested personal information from Internet companies such as Locatecell.com and resell it. The USA Skiptrace website advertises search information, including finding the name associated with a cellphone number.
“I really don’t want to do cellphone records at all, if it’s illegal,” Strange said. “We decided we didn’t need the grief.”
Cingular and other national cellphone companies have won federal injunctions against Locatecell and similar Internet companies to force them to stop selling phone records. The company has put a notice on its website saying it has abandoned the practice of selling records of consumers at the affected companies.
The House Energy and Commerce Committee on Wednesday wrote USA Skiptrace and others asking them to explain how they get records. Strange said he would be happy to talk to investigators.
Legislators have been outraged to find that personal information that can help thieves steal people’s identities is for sale on the Internet. The Boston Globe purchased Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney’s TransUnion credit report from a Denver company calling itself Goldshield Inc., where Strange identified himself as president.
There are no federal bans on selling cellphone records.
Staff writer Beth Potter can be reached at 303-820-1503 or bpotter@denverpost.com.
