Carlos Benitz said this to All at 03-06-95 12:29 about IS YOUR PHONE BUGGED? CB> After reading a message about the reported tap-test telephone number, CB> and realizing that BBS sysops often know more about the telephone CB> company than most radio listeners, I posted the message to our regional CB> sysop echo (R10SYSOPS). Here's a response I got: CB> ======================================================================= CB> ====== * Forwarded by Carlos Benitz (1:125/17) CB> * Area : R10SYSOPS (Region 10 Sysops) CB> * From : Gary Shelton, 1:125/170 (28 Feb 95 19:02) CB> * To : Carlos Benitz CB> * Subj : IS YOUR PHONE BUGGED? CB> ======================================================================= CB> ====== -= Carlos Benitz to All / 02-28-95 04:45 =- CB> This was forwarded to me by one of my users. In the hopes CB> that someone among you finds it interesting in an otherwise CB> dead (at least here) echo, I've forwarded it here. CB> Thank ya, Mr. B! It WAS interesting reading! CB> ====== -=> Quoting Bill Bauer to All <=- BB> Got the following from a radio program this morning, on BB> station KVI in Seattle, concerning the pros and cons of BB> the Clipper Chip (mostly con): If you want to know whether BB> your phone has been tapped in the last six months, dial in BB> the following: BB> 107 321 404 988 966 4 CB> Access Code: 10732 CB> Place a L/D Call: 1 CB> Area Code: (404) CB> Prefix: 988- CB> Number: 9664 CB> This Smyrna GA Access Code and Phone Number is used by AT&T to verify CB> if a phone number (the number dialing in -- YOU...) is being routed CB> through a "Reseller" of AT&T's phone lines. The lines ARE AT&T, but CB> some "Lower Podunk, Nebraska"-type companies will buy/lease (sort-of) CB> a chunk of available lines, then re-sell them to potential customers. CB> AT&T uses this line to verify if some caller's line is actually one of CB> these "Pseudo"-AT&T customers or not. If some caller has a problem, CB> AT&T needs a way to see if the customer is ACTUALLY with AT&T, or is CB> one of the unfortunate few that will need to call "Lower Podunk" for CB> billing problems. CB> The AT&T Office handling these "Business Accounts" is reachable at CB> 1 800 344-5100. This office is the AT&T S D N Center (stands for CB> the Software-Defined Network). I talked with a SDN Technician, nnnn, CB> also reachable at 1 800 344-5100. I told him I would NOT be bothering CB> him with calls, but I _DID_ want to know how to reach him if I had CB> any more questions about this. PLEASE respect my promise, and if CB> you call, try to keep it short... CB> The number dialed will send back your OWN number (so the caller knows CB> what line they're ACTUALLY coming IN on), followed by digits showing CB> if the account IS or is NOT in the S D N Database. It is MY belief CB> [GSS] the calling will add your number to the Database (since you ARE CB> calling in), but the digit showing the USE of the S D N service should CB> remain the same (assuming you are NOT using "Mom-n-Pop Long Distance CB> Carriers, Inc."). Now if it CHANGES... (See next paragraph) CB> If someone is of a suspicious nature... This line from AT&T _COULD_ CB> be a thinly-veiled coverup, but I think it explains it pretty well. CB> I think this is another "Urban Legend". On the other hand, maybe by CB> dialing the number, you are "requesting" "Mom-n-Pop" to BE your L/D CB> carrier... These shady things DO happen. The only way to make SURE CB> your L/D carrier STAYS as you want it is to MAIL them a letter listing CB> who you want, and specifying you do NOT want to be changed withOUT a CB> letter. I got burned, and I KNOW this is how some companies do it! CB> Howzabout it, AT&T? You guys out there gonna fess up to this?? CB> GSS / Sysop: The Voice of PHRED!!, Co-Sysop: Software Professionals CB> BBS CB> ... Modem: Electronic Screening Device, useful in avoiding unwanted CB> calls. ___ Blue Wave/QWK v2.12 CB> -+- FLAME v1.1 CB> + Origin: The Voice of PHRED!! Pacifica CA 415-359-8237 (1:125/170) CB> ======================================================================= CB> ====== CB> Carlos's notes: I've deleted the person's name because Gary asked CB> that this person not be contacted by a hundred suspicious BBS users. CB> Only his first name was included, and it is a common first name. If CB> you think it's really important, write Gary netmail and ask him to tell CB> it to you. Of course, doing so would reveal your apparent identity to CB> Gary and I and then we'd have to fill out the paperwork to tap your CB> phone, so I guess you're stuck. CB> It seems to me that there is a possibility that the number used to CB> work (like, until last week) as originally described by the radio CB> caller. That is, once a federal wiretap order had been filed, the CB> Telco may consider that telephone line as not-theirs, and knowing the CB> proper result code would indicate to a knowledgable owner which telco CB> (or USGov) owns the line. Whatever, if it ever did work, I'd not CB> expect it to continue to reveal tap information (and what would be the CB> purpose for a tap-revealing exchange anyway? Who'd use it? Would one CB> "agency" call it from your phone to find out if another agency had CB> already tapped the line? I don't think our goverment is sufficiently CB> organized for such consideration. ) CB> -!- CB> ! Origin: Airtight Garage 415-641-0348 San Francisco California USA CB> (1:125/17)