The Economic Espionage Act

EEA makes the theft or misappropriation of trade secrets a criminal offense. Taking papers from Dumpsters outside offices is called “Dumpster diving” and is a common tactic used by commercial information brokers as well as foreign intelligence services. It involves collecting and going through the trash left out for collection from residences and businesses. Stealing trash is not illegal. The Supreme Court ruled in 1988 that once an item is left for trash pickup, there is no expectation of privacy or continued ownership. Who is affected by EEA: U. S. Citizens, General businesses handling sensitive data in hardcopy

Click here for more information:
http://www.justice.gov/criminal/cybercrime/eea.html