TUCoPS :: Phreaking Public Phones :: snarfcc.txt

How thieves spoof dialtone to snarf calling cards from payphones!


Some new scams have surfaced among criminals with new and ever
more sophisticated ways to defraud people using public
telephones. With so much business being done on the road, as
people collect e-mail and keep in touch with the home office,
travelers must be extra vigilant.

In one scheme, a thief at a remote location, using a laptop
computer and other technology, makes a call to a public payphone
at a busy airport. The bell on the phone has been disabled and,
as the consumer picks up the handset to place a call, the thief
sends a simulated dial tone to the phone, fooling the caller into
thinking he has a real dial tone.  As the unsuspecting caller
enters his calling-card number into the keypad, the thief records
the tones and uses another device to convert them into a valid
card number.

To ensure the phone isn't being electronically monitored
from a remote location, pick up the handset and hang up, wait 15
seconds and then place your call.

When using a public telephone, be aware of nearby windows where a
thief could be watching and block the view of the keypad when
dialing your calling-card number. Purchase your prepaid cards
only from reputable companies, as some customers have discovered
that cards with extremely low rates sometimes are limited to
certain areas or don't work at all.


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