The National Association of Broadcasters has been cautioning its members to redact confidential information, such as numbers and names on checks, if they decide to include copies of payments from media buyers for political spots in their FCC online files.
Broadcasters have been under pressure to put more information into those files—specifically, the names of groups and individuals behind PACs and Super PACs. But in the case of the checks, it has been too much information that has gotten some media buyers in trouble.
NPR reported that some buyers had been targeted by scammers who stole thousands of dollars after lifting check numbers and other info from the FCC files. The FCC has since warned filers that they are not required to include copies of checks and, if they do, they “may want to consider redacting any customer account information before making the material available online.”
An NAB spokesman said that ever since they learned of the scam several weeks ago, the association has been reaching out to members to advise them to obscure that info if they decide to include checks anyway.
