Which offense is committed by an officer, shareholder, partner, employee, agent, or independent contractor of a telecommunications service provider who knowingly uses or diverts telecommunications service for personal benefit or the benefit of another without authority?

• A. Online Impersonation
• B. Counterfeit Telecommunications Access Device
• C. Unauthorized Use of Telecommunications Service
• D. Breach of Computer Security

Answer: (C)

This item tests Unauthorized Use of Telecommunications Service. It covers a situation where someone in a position with the telecommunications provider—an officer, shareholder, partner, employee, agent, or independent contractor—knowingly uses or diverts the provider’s telecommunications service for their own benefit or the benefit of someone else, without authority. The key elements are the relationship (they have access to the service), the knowing use or diversion, the lack of authority, and the personal or third-party benefit.

Online Impersonation describes pretending to be someone else online, which is a different type of offense. Counterfeit Telecommunications Access Device involves creating or using forged devices to access service, not simply misusing the service itself by a provider's staff. Breach of Computer Security targets unauthorized access to computer systems, rather than the misuse or diversion of telecommunications service by someone connected to the service provider.