FTC-I-1

SYSTEM NAME:

Nonpublic Investigational and Other Nonpublic Legal Program Records–FTC.

SECURITY CLASSIFICATION:

Not applicable.

SYSTEM LOCATION:

Federal Trade Commission, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20580. 

See Appendix III for other locations where records may be maintained or accessed.

CATEGORIES OF INDIVIDUALS COVERED BY THE SYSTEM:

This system consists of case or matter files and other nonpublic records created, collected

and maintained by the FTC’s Bureaus and other offices in the course of law enforcement

investigations, administrative or court litigation, and other agency legal proceedings and matters

(e.g., rulemakings, requests for formal advisory opinions). The system covers investigatory

targets, witnesses, consumers, redress claimants, commenters, requesters, and other individuals

whose information the FTC “retrieves” from these nonpublic records, as explained below. 

(Entities that are not “individuals,” such as businesses, sole proprietorships, or corporations, are

not covered by this system.) Parties requesting informal advisory opinions are covered by FTCI-3, Informal Advisory Opinion Request and Response Files–FTC.

CATEGORIES OF RECORDS IN THE SYSTEM:

Records maintained in this system include information about individuals such as name,

address, employment status, age, date of birth, financial information, credit information, social

security number and personal history. Records in this system are collected and generated during

law enforcement investigations and litigation and may include: copies of subpoenas and other

compulsory process issued during the investigation; documents and records (including copies)

obtained during the investigation in response to subpoenas and other compulsory process, or

otherwise provided to the Commission; affidavits and other statements from witnesses;

transcripts of testimony taken in the investigation and accompanying exhibits; internal staff

memoranda; interview notes, investigative notes, staff working papers, draft materials, and other

documents and records relating to the investigation; correspondence; and internal status reports

including matter initiation reports, progress reports, and closing reports. Records in this system

may also include other investigatory information or data relating to any of the following:

docketed and consent matters; redress distribution proceedings; rulemakings, workshops, and

other public proceedings, including comments or other materials submitted in such proceedings;

assurances of voluntary compliance; and advisory opinions. Other types of records covered by

this system are set out in the Department of Treasury, Financial Management Service's Privacy

Act system of records notice TREASURY/FMS.014, or any successor system notice for this
system (visit http://www.ustreas.gov for more information). 

This system is limited to files and records that are about an individual, and only when the

file or record is pulled (“retrieved”) by the name of that individual or other personal identifier

(e.g., number, symbol, fingerprint, etc.). As described below, records in this system may

become public if they are subject to such disclosure under the FTC’s Rules of Practice. 

AUTHORITY FOR MAINTENANCE OF THE SYSTEM:

Federal Trade Commission Act, 15 U.S.C. 41 et seq.; Executive Order 10450.

PURPOSE(S):

To conduct the law enforcement, rulemaking, and advisory responsibilities of the Federal

Trade Commission; to make determinations based upon the results of those matters; to report

results of investigations to other agencies and authorities for their use in evaluating their

programs and imposition of criminal, civil, or administrative sanctions; to report the results of

investigations to other agencies or other regulatory bodies for any action deemed appropriate; to

make appropriate portions of the records of those matters available to the public (see FTC-I-6,

Public Records–FTC); and to maintain records of Commission activities related to those matters,

including to make such records available within the FTC for historical, legal research,

investigational, and similar purposes (see FTC System VII-6, Document Management and

Retrieval System–FTC).

ROUTINE USES OF RECORDS MAINTAINED IN THE SYSTEM, INCLUDING

CATEGORIES OF USERS AND THE PURPOSES OF SUCH USES:

Records in this system may be:

(1) Made available or referred to federal, state, local or international government

authorities for investigation, possible criminal prosecution, civil action, regulatory order, or

other law enforcement purpose;

(2) Referred to outside experts or consultants when considered appropriate by FTC staff

to assist in the conduct of agency matters;

(3) Used by Commission contractors with recordkeeping, managerial, and budgeting

responsibilities for information management purposes; and

(4) Disclosed on the FTC’s public record under the FTC’s Rules of Practice. See FTC-I6, Public Records–FTC.

(5) Disclosed, to the extent that the records relate to a debt owed to the United States,

through one or more of its departments and agencies; and/or States, territories and

commonwealths of the United States, and the District of Columbia, for any other routine use set

forth in the Government-wide system of records notice published for this system by the
Department of Treasury, Financial Management System, see TREASURY/FMS.014, or any

successor TREASURY/FMS system notice that may be published for this system (visit 

(http://www.ustreas.gov) for more information).

See also Appendix I for other ways that the Privacy Act permits the FTC to use or

disclose system records outside the agency. 

DISCLOSURE TO CONSUMER REPORTING AGENCIES:

None, except as authorized under 5 U.S.C. 552a(b)(12) when trying to collect a claim of

the Government. See Appendix I. For public portions of this system, see the system notice for

FTC-I-6. 

POLICIES AND PRACTICES FOR STORING, RETRIEVING, ACCESSING, RETAINING,

AND DISPOSING OF RECORDS IN THE SYSTEM:

STORAGE:

The FTC maintains these records in various electronic and non-electronic formats and

media (e.g., paper, microfilm, CD-ROMs, other digital files). The FTC maintains electronic

records in this system using a combination of different databases and applications, rather than

maintaining them in a single paper or electronic system. 

RETRIEVABILITY:

Records are indexed by respondent’s, participant’s, or FTC staff member’s name;

company name; industry investigation title; and FTC matter number.

SAFEGUARDS:

For records other than those made public, access is restricted to agency personnel or

contractors whose responsibilities require access. Paper records are maintained in lockable

rooms or file cabinets. Access to electronic records is controlled by “user ID” and password

combination and/or other appropriate electronic access or network controls (e.g., firewalls). 

FTC buildings are guarded and monitored by security personnel, cameras, ID checks, and other

physical security measures.

RETENTION AND DISPOSAL:

Records from submitters in FTC investigations are destroyed or returned to the submitter,

if so requested, at the conclusion of the matter, except for those received into the record of any

proceeding and any other copies made for official use or that are required to be preserved for

their historical or other value under applicable Federal records retention requirements. See

15 U.S.C. 57b-2(b)(5), 16 CFR 4.12. Retention periods for other system records depend on the

type of record and the FTC proceeding or matter involved. Records are retained and disposed of

under applicable schedules and procedures approved by the National Archives and Records
Administration. 

SYSTEM MANAGER(S) AND ADDRESS:

Director, Records and Filings Office, Federal Trade Commission, 600 Pennsylvania

Avenue, NW., Washington, DC 20580.

NOTIFICATION PROCEDURE; RECORD ACCESS PROCEDURES; AND CONTESTING

RECORD PROCEDURES:

See Appendix II.

RECORD SOURCE CATEGORIES:

Individual respondent(s) or proposed respondent(s), defendant(s), company records,

complainants, informants, witnesses, participants, FTC employees, commercial sources.

EXEMPTIONS CLAIMED FOR THE SYSTEM:

Copies of records contained in this system that have been placed on the FTC public

record are available upon request or from the FTC’s Web site, where applicable. See FTC-I-6,

Public Records–FTC. However, pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 552a(k)(2), records in this system that are

not on the public record are exempt from the requirements of subsections (c)(3), (d), (e)(1),

(e)(4) (G), (H), (I), and (f) of 5 U.S.C. 552a, and the corresponding provisions of 16 CFR 4.13. 

See FTC Rules of Practice 4.13(m), 16 CFR 4.13(m).