House Panel OKs Bill to Protect Phone Records

Fraudulently obtaining and selling a person’s telephone records would become a crime under legislation approved Wednesday by a House committee.

The bill also would require telecommunications companies to get consumers’ permission before sharing information about their calling records with business partners. Phone companies also would need to get permission from customers before disclosing their cellphone numbers.

The legislation approved would require tighter security measures by the carriers and increase fines from $100,000 to $300,000 for companies that violate customer privacy laws.

The trade group for the major wireless carriers expressed concern about the scope of the bill.

“We have serious concerns about how far this bill goes into issues completely unrelated to the illicit behavior Congress is attempting to stop,” said Joseph Farren, spokesman for CTIA-The Wireless Assn.