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Jun 5, 2008 6:29 pm US/Eastern

Lawyers Explain Why Private Numbers Got Published

Reporting
Mike Schuh
HAGERSTOWN, Md. (WJZ) ―

Attorneys for Verizon were in the hot seat Thursday, struggling to explain how and why 12,000 of its customers in Western Maryland had their unpublished numbers published.

Mike Schuh reports some customers were surprised and angry when they found out their private phone numbers had been published.

To most people nothing seems wrong with a phone book with tons of information in it. But some 12,000 private numbers were lumped in with all the other public numbers. They were then sold to the Ogden Publishing Company. Police officers' numbers that were supposed to be unpublished became published. 

Verizon has been called to fix the mistake.  Two Verizon lawyers and a marketing director came to explain what happened to the Public Service Commission.

The basic problem was a computer glitch. A program providing numbers to an outside publisher has been shut down.

"What's been done has been done and we're truly sorry about that," said Sandra Arnette, Verizon spokesperson.

Verizon offered a $25 credit and change of number for free. They also promised to get all books distributed and pay publishers to reprint.

The Public Service Commission is expected to issue a ruling and comments within a week.

(© MMVIII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

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