Attorney General's News Release

June 15, 2006

Fourth Internet business that illegally obtained and sold cell phone records shut down in Missouri by Nixon

Jefferson City, Mo. — Attorney General Jay Nixon today obtained a court order prohibiting a Joplin-based Web business and its owners from offering to sell the confidential information of cell phone customers in Missouri. Nixon said the defendants, who do business under the name North American Information on a Web site entitled NAInfo.com, violated consumer protection laws by misrepresenting that it was legal for them to obtain, possess and sell the information, which includes personal cell phone records.

North American Information is the fourth such Web site that Nixon has targeted this year. In February, Missouri became the first state to obtain a court order preventing an Internet business that sells cell phone records from conducting business in its state. Nixon's aggressive actions in that case and subsequent cases resulted in preliminary injunctions against Locatecell.com, Completeskiptrace.com and Datatraceusa.com earlier this year.

“My office remains committed to protecting the privacy concerns of Missouri consumers from these Internet businesses that sell private cell phone information without the owners' consent,” Nixon said. “This is the fourth time we have gone to court to stop the dissemination of such information in our state, and remain ready to act against other businesses that provide such services.”

The assurance of voluntary compliance was signed today by Cole County Circuit Court Judge Thomas Brown. Under the agreement, North American Information and owner Tom Doyle are prohibited from:

• Operating the Web site NAInfo.com or any other Web site offering for sale or selling any customer information of any cellular or land line telephone service provider to any third parties;
• Attempting to obtain or obtaining any personal and confidential information from any cellular or land line telephone service provider regarding any of the provider's customers who live in Missouri;
• Attempting to obtain or obtaining any personal and confidential information from any third party regarding any subscriber to cellular or land line telephone service;
• Offering for sale or selling to any third party any information of any cellular or land line telephone subscriber where such information is currently in the respondent's possession, having been obtained prior to this order.

Under the agreement, respondents will also pay $1,000 to the Missouri Merchandising Practices Revolving Fund.

Inquiries from consumers should be directed to consumer@ago.mo.gov or 1-800-392-8222 (from within Missouri) or 573-751-3321 (outside Missouri).

All media inquiries should be directed to Press Secretary John Fougere.

E-mail      Phone: 573-751-8844         Fax: 573-751-5818