Verizon fires employees for accessing Barack Obama’s cell phone records
If you are at work and you see the private mobile phone records of President-elect Barack Obama, no matter how enticing, you must resist the urge to take a quick peek. Several Verizon Wireless employees succumbed to that temptation and have found themselves in a heap of trouble. According to a press release on Thursday, a number of employees were caught browsing through Obama’s cell phone records. The mobile account was for a flip phone, rumored to be a Razr, that had been inactive for several months. The records that were breached included call times, phone numbers of incoming/outgoing calls, numbers of text messages sent/received, etc. The employees in question reportedly did not have access to the content of any email, text or voice messages. Verizon initially put all employees who had access to Obama’s account on leave while it conducted an investigation. Late on Friday, Verizon announced that the matter was publicly closed, appropriate federal law enforcement agencies had been contacted and the offending employees were fired. An internal investigation is continuing to see if the information was shared only amongst internal employees or if the information was sent to any outside third parties.
Thanks, Rosario!
Dumbasses. What goes through peoples minds? “Oh, here is a celebrities personal information – I’m gonna look at it!” Personal Information is PROTECTED! If I can no longer run the license plates on my MDC of hot chicks I see pass me on the road, you can’t look at peoples phone records!
Too bad the state of Ohio is not as pro-active as Verizon, in firing all the individuals who were involved in mining Samuel “Joe the Plumber” Wurzelbacher’s records, in an attempt to destroy him.
Just goes to show that private corporations (not ALL, but most) take a more hard-line approach to invasions of privacy than governments do.
I supported the “other guy” in this election, but I’m calling for all these now EX-Verizon employees to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
I think for VZW’s part, this was done for show or to “keep up appearances.”
If they didn’t do anything and make it publicly known, they’d be criticized by those still angry about their parents company willingly giving information on thousands and thousands of customers to the NSA. (Nobody fired those guys, right)
I doubt any harm, if any was actually done. It’s just that this was Obama with the FBI involved so they had to do something.
This once again proves my old theory: Verizon wireless employees are tools.
Wow what insight you have provided us with. Did you think of that all by yourself or did your mommy help you out?
He had to give up his BlackBerry. I don’t know if I could do that haha
good lord perspective, you are the most worthless person on this site
a cover up lets fire them now lets start selling phones
@Perspective
It’s people like you I just wanna smack around a little – try and knock some sense into you.
Just because a few people screw up, doesn’t mean all “Verizon wireless employees are tools.” I happen to be a VZW emp and I resent that comment.
Every company has their idiots, it doesn’t make everyone in the company an idiot.
As for the actual issue here, if I would have been a VZW upper in this instance, I would have just kept it underwraps. Why spill the beans and let the world know you have people like that working for you – other than some stupid way of advertising? Secrectly let those people go and move on…
THIS NEEDS TO BE TURNED OVER TO THE SECRET SERVICE AND VERIZON NEEDS TO BE CALL BEFORE CONGRESS FOR A HEARING.
@ Truth – yea your right man thats not funny or cool. I supported Obama but i think all of them even the plumber snoopers should get slapped with a minor charge.
@Perspective – the only tool you know about is the one that plugs your ass
@Jerry Marcus – you are a fool. Why would this be an issue for Congress. Barack was a VZW customer and unfortunately some dumbasses that work there took a peak. Hardly an issue for congress
@MadMike, what are you? Retarded perhaps? “If I can no longer run hot chicks on my MDC” moron. So what, you have to name drop an MDC? Dumbfuck, why would you advertise the fact you are in law enforcement? FYI, you just make yourself look like an idiot.
Hey the email actually,went through. I usually try send articles but Im usually too late.
Anyways, you would think that people would know there going to get caught and that they were going to get fired. I hope lookin at some info was worth losing there job and who knows what else.
Question in regards to digging up the info on Joe The Plumber… If I remember correctly, the information obtained was public records and anyone with cab find this by going to the county clerk of court website and plug in his name. What is so wrong with that? Its public information. All I have to say is I’m so glad Joe Six Pack was dropped. Made our country look like a bunch of drunk white trash citizens. Maverick!
@Witty!: Uhm, asshole. Law Enforcement aren’t the only people to have MDCs. I wasn’t “name dropping” jack. Furthermore, I was being facetious.
Also, I’m not law enforcement. I work with law enforcement, but I make more money and get to ride in a big red truck.
Asshole… Go back to jerking off to “The Shield.” Whacker.
They got fired not because they looked at Obama’s records, but simply because they violated company’s policy, unauthorized non-business access to ANY of their customers’ information will get an employee fired, it just got public because it was Obama.
Here’s the thing, CNN blew this story out of proportion, typical of a media giant. There was nowhere that VZW stated that the employees accessed any information from Barack’s account. The only information that has been verified is that the individuals accessed his account. Basically, they searched his name, and it pulled up an archived account. Depending on how old it was, there may not have been even any call record information in the account. That is information that was possibly accessed, because it was possibly there, but the case would not be “closed” if these employees actually accessed his call records, or any other private information. News stations love to put their own spin on stories, and exaggerate them.
Lmao! I thought it read ” I get to ride a big red dick”
@MadMike, so you are a fucktard? The MDC you referenced (i.e. running people) IS law enforcement terminology. But, I can forgive it, since it is coming from some wannabe cop. That is really unfortunate you couldn’t hack it to actually be an officer. What a shame… dumbfuck.
Do you not understand the concept of sarcasm? I don’t actually run peoples plates, nor do I want to. Forget it. Your too stupid to understand the concept.
Wannabe cop? I spent 12 years in the Marines, I’ve had enough running around with guns getting shot at. Did I mention the fire department PAYS more? Deal with a bunch of drunks or write speeding tickets. No thank you, I think I’ll pass.
MDC stands for Mobile Data Computer – It’s a stupid Panasonic Toughbook with a sprint aircard and a special written application that connects to the county CAD (Computer Aided Dispatch). It’s not LE specific terminology. Cops were the first to get them, then EMS and then Fire. The Police do more with them. Fire and EMS basically use them for GPS and so we don’t have to clog up the radio with traffic. We go responding, on scene and available without having to call county.
Oh, and the saying goes the Police Academy are for mutts who can’t hack the Fire Academy.
By your imaginative expletives, you sound like a cop. If so, your just jealous you no longer get all the cool shit to yourself. Same Federal grants gets us all the toys too! We get Blackberries now also! No longer just PD.
I’m not surprised that they were fired. Verizon has a “Codes We Work By” that every employee must agree to each year. The company sends out monthly emails to employees regarding security and ethics violations. I knew immediately that they would be fired. Duh
@ BlueHorseSlipper,
Must be those union guys, HAHA!
His phone records were full of calls to dudes in Hamas, the PLO, his buddy the bomber Ayers, his racist America hating “minister”, his hired election riggers Acorn, the Clintoon thugs, and other assorted Communist leaning turds.