Telephone Records and Privacy Protection Act of 2006
TRPPA
Communications
This law makes 'pretexting' for phone records a federal crime. It bars obtaining confidential phone records by false statements or unauthorized account access, and selling or buying such records without the customer's authorization.
- Where
- Federal
- Citation
- 18 U.S.C. 1039
- Status
- In force
- In force since
- 2007-01-12
- Enforced by
- U.S. Department of Justice
- People can sue
- No
- Penalties
- Fines and imprisonment up to 10 years, with enhanced penalties for aggravated or large-scale violations.
- Applies to
- Any person who obtains, sells, transfers, or receives confidential phone records information of a telecommunications carrier or IP-enabled voice provider
Practices it requires
- Do not obtain confidential phone records information by false or fraudulent statements, documents, or unauthorized online account access.18 U.S.C. 1039(a)
- Do not sell or transfer, or purchase or receive, confidential phone records information without the customer's prior authorization.18 U.S.C. 1039(b)-(c)
Sources
Checked against these sources on 2026-09-25 by research agent (Claude), primary sources.
Unverified: Subsection (a) elements and enhanced penalty subsections were not read closely
Research reference, not legal advice.