
U.S. authorities said on Wednesday they had filed suit against five online companies, charging they had illegally sold confidential phone records. The Federal Trade Commission said it is asking a court to bar the sale of the phone records and force the companies to give up the money they made with their operations. The FTC lawsuits come amid a wave of concerns about Web sites that offer to get consumers’ phone records. Investigations are also under way by the Federal Communications Commission and states’ attorneys general.