39 CFR § 3024.7 - Unlawfully obtaining information.

---
identifier: "/us/cfr/t39/s3024.7"
source: "ecfr"
legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"
title: "39 CFR § 3024.7 - Unlawfully obtaining information."
title_number: 39
title_name: "Postal Service"
section_number: "3024.7"
section_name: "Unlawfully obtaining information."
chapter_name: "POSTAL REGULATORY COMMISSION"
subchapter_number: "D"
subchapter_name: "SPECIAL RULES OF PRACTICE FOR SPECIFIC PROCEEDING TYPES"
part_number: "3024"
part_name: "SPECIAL RULES FOR COMPLAINTS ALLEGING VIOLATIONS OF 39 U.S.C. 404a"
positive_law: false
currency: "2026-04-05"
last_updated: "2026-04-05"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
authority: "39 U.S.C. 404a; 3662."
regulatory_source: "79 FR 62294, Oct. 16, 2014, unless otherwise noted. Redesignated at 85 FR 9615, Feb. 19, 2020."
cfr_part: "3024"
---


# 3024.7 Unlawfully obtaining information.

(a) A complaint alleging a violation of 39 U.S.C. 404a(a)(3) must show that:

(1) The person filing the complaint has provided or sought to provide a product;

(2) The Postal Service obtained information about such product from the person filing the complaint; and

(3) The Postal Service offers or offered a postal service that uses or is based, in whole or in part, on the information obtained from the person filing the complaint.

(b) As an affirmative defense to a complaint under 39 U.S.C. 404a(a)(3), the Postal Service may demonstrate that substantially the same information was obtained (or was obtainable) from an independent source or is otherwise obtained (or obtainable) through lawful means.

(c) As an affirmative defense to a complaint under 39 U.S.C. 404a(a)(3), the Postal Service may show that the information obtained was provided by written consent.