Preservation Request Letter*

Here is an example of a digital preservation letter for law enforcement (adapted from http://cryptome.org).

Agency Header ———-
An Internationally Accredited Law Enforcement Agency
223 N. Memorial Drive Independence, Missouri 64050
(816) 325-7271 FAX (816) 325-7316
————-

DATE:

Compliance Team
YAHOO, Inc.
701 First Avenue
Sunnyvale, California 94089
Fax: (408) 349-7941
Voice: (408) 349-3300

Dear Custodian of Records,

Our agency is conducting an ongoing criminal investigation that involves one or more Yahoo! users. As part of that investigation, we are requesting that information related to the [Yahoo! ID or Yahoo! e-mail address or Yahoo! Group] listed below be preserved pending the issuance of the formal legal process. More specifically, we are requesting that you preserve all [subscriber information and/or account contents or Group information] related to the following customer or subscribers:

Yahoo! IDs:
Yahoo! e-mail address:
Name:
Address:

Additional Identifying Information (e.g. DOB, credit card number):
At this time we are expecting to obtain a formal legal process in the next 90 days. We acknowledge that if we do not serve legal process upon you in the next 90 days, and do not request a 90-day extension, the preserved information may no longer be available.

This letter is a request to preserve such records and is being made under the provisions of 18 United States Code Section 2703 (f) which states “…a provider of wire or electronic communication services or remote computing service, upon request of a government entity, shall take all necessary steps to preserve records and other evidence in possession pending the issuance of a court order or other process.”

You are also requested not to disclose the existence of this request to the subscriber or any other person, other than as necessary to comply with this request.

Please refer any questions to:
Detective insert
Independence, Missouri Police Department
Intelligence Unit
223 N. Memorial Drive
Independence, Missouri 64050
Desk: (816) 325-7805
Fax: (816) 325-7256
Email:
jhowe@indepmo.org
Thank you for your cooperation.