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.  <grin>

 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.  <laughing>) 
 CB> -!-
 CB>  ! Origin: Airtight Garage 415-641-0348 San Francisco California USA
 CB> (1:125/17)