This week, the Office of the Attorney General\u2019s \u201cConsumer Caution Corner\u201d outlines the Federal Communications Commission\u2019s guidance on how to protect the privacy of your phone and cable records.<\/p>\n
In a time when numerous entities collect and store personal information, you want to make sure your information is secure. The FCC has regulatory programs in place to protect your privacy.<\/p>\n
Protecting your telephone calling records<\/strong> \u2022 As required by law; Your telephone company may only release your customer information to you upon request, with certain protections: <\/p>\n \u2022 Password for phone or online requests; or Protecting your customer information <\/strong> \u2022 Carefully read your telephone bill and any other notices you receive from your service provider. Determine if your service provider is seeking opt-in or opt-out permission to use or share your customer information for marketing, and make your choice clear to your service provider. Your choice is valid until you inform your service provider otherwise. <\/p>\n \u2022 If you use a password when contacting your service provider to obtain your customer information, avoid using any sensitive or readily apparent information, such as your social security number. <\/p>\n Remember, customer information rules apply to all telephone companies: Make your customer information choices known to each company.<\/p>\n Each week, the OAG\u2019s Consumer Protection Education Program (a.k.a. \u201cThe Consumer Caution Corner\u201d) shares Federal Trade Commission, U.S. Department of Agriculture, or FCC publications to promote education and awareness among the community while also enabling consumers and businesses with the \u201cknow-how\u201d to identify and protect themselves from unfair and deceptive trade practices and other marketplace schemes. <\/p>\n If you would like to file a consumer complaint, please pick up a form at the OAG (on Capital Hill) or request a form by email from consumer_counsel@cnmioag.org. After completing the consumer complaint form, please submit it by email or in-person. <\/p>\n We cannot act as your private attorney. If you need legal assistance, we will recommend that you contact a private attorney or legal aid organization. <\/p>\n We cannot give legal advice or act as your private attorney.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" This week, the Office of the Attorney General\u2019s \u201cConsumer Caution Corner\u201d outlines the Federal Communications…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[14798,6661,9613,86],"class_list":["post-258816","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-opinion","tag-consumer-caution-corner","tag-fcc","tag-federal-trade-commission","tag-oag"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/258816","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=258816"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/258816\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=258816"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=258816"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=258816"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nLocal, long distance, and wireless phone companies, as well as IP service providers, collect certain customer information, such as the numbers you call and when you call them. They also track the services you use, such as call-forwarding or voicemail. The companies may use, disclose, or permit access to this information in these circumstances: <\/p>\n
\n\u2022 With your approval; and
\n\u2022 While providing the service for which the customer information was obtained.<\/p>\n
\n\u2022 Valid photo identification if your request is made in-person.
\n\u2022 Additionally, your telephone company must:
\n\u2022 Confirm any new or changed password, back-up for a forgotten password, online account, or an address of record;
\n\u2022 Obtain your approval to use your customer information for marketing;
\n\u2022 Maintain accurate records regarding disclosure of your customer information to third parties along with your approval; and
\n\u2022 Submit to the FCC an annual summary of all consumer complaints received regarding unauthorized release of customer information and certify it is compliant with FCC rules.<\/p>\n
\n\u2022 Ask your service provider for details about how it protects the confidentiality of your customer information. <\/p>\n
\n\u2022 Local;
\n\u2022 Long distance;
\n\u2022 Wireless; and
\n\u2022 VoIP <\/p>\n