not saying it is a defensible position. Just saying in itself, I do not see anything illegal about it or likely even actionable. As I said, most of the info is available to any company that is calling for a reference anyway. Why would it be any more egregious to release it to some random person?
and in that light; how do you know that Bob from XYZ company calling for a reference is actually Bob from XYZ company and not the pissed off ex husband Dick?

