They failed to mention that any entrepreneur must also be born with the gift of flight or at least levitation. I've never read so much bullshit in one place. So if I wanted to change my cellphone company because a new company offered me a better deal, and I wanted (or had) to change my cellphone number because the new one is so much better and too much advertising companies had my previous one any ways. Plus I didn't want to go on my family's "family plan" because it doesn't make sense when I talk to my friends on the cellhone most of the time and with my family on Skype, it means I'm not stable? maybe not. But it means I'm smart.

What a stupid ass "algorithm".

It seems their algorithm has codified age discrimination. It's a shame really that this is a component of their strategy.

Except that their algorithm, overall, seems like a failed strategy.

I'm fairly certain that any half decent PI can fetch a cell account history by a phone number.

This is a common misconception. Ever since the Telephone Records and Privacy Protection Act of 2006[0,1] was passed, it has been illegal to obtain telephone records if you're not a law enforcement or intelligence agency.

Edit: Here[2] is a more comprehensive list of records that private investigators cannot legally obtain: banking and financial records, telephone records, credit information, nationwide criminal records, and a comprehensive individual profile. However, I have no confirmation of the veracity of that website, as I just found it with a quick search.

0: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telephone_Records_and_Privacy_P...

1: http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/BILLS-109hr4709enr/pdf/BILLS-10...

2: http://www.diligentiagroup.com/legal-investigation/5-myths-w...

I think most of definitions of "telephone records" involve call history and other stuff that got HP board in trouble.

Here something like a credit statement showing consistency of payments to a mobile operator would suffice - with number portability being a law some brokers would sell you access to a database telling you which carrier the number belongs to, and how long ago it was recycled.

Well, like I said above, credit information is also not so easy to obtain.

But remember, this is all when you're strictly following the law. There are plenty of PIs who are willing to bend the law.