textfiles/phreak/CODES/safephrk.txt

*************************** WHICH CODES ARE SAFE?? ***************************

                        By the group ---> U.T.A. <---

                      Date of file:  November 25th, 1990

                         This is U.T.A. Phreak-File #4
______________________________________________________________________________

1.  INTRODUCTION
----------------

     Phreaking isn't as easy as it used to be.  Just three years ago, you
could fuck with big companies like Sprint, MCI, etc., and not get caught.
Nowadays there are so many stories going around about phreaking busts that
you're probably almost afraid to even do it from a pay-phone anymore.  If
the stories were all clear and true, maybe things wouldn't be as bad.
However, with all of the conflicting reports of these so-called "bustings",
you sometimes wonder what to believe.  You have your daring friends telling
you that they phreak and that nothing has happened to them yet.  You've got
your cautious friends telling you that every long distance company has ANI
(caller ID) and will bust you if you abuse them, and you've got some
14-year-old on some BBS telling everyone that his "friend" just had to pay
2 million dollars in damage to some piss-ass long distance company for only
using codes twice in his life.  Don't you wish that someone KNOWLEDGABLE
would step forward and tell you the TRUTH about all this?  Well, such
individuals from the veteran phreaking group U.T.A. have arrived.  And this
file is going to set the records straight.  Unlike other files that were
written by little illiterate 14-year-old R0dents, this one is written by
members of the experienced phreaking group U.T.A. who have VERIFIED all of the
upcoming information with the phone company itself.  For more info about
U.T.A., stay tuned at the end of this file.

And now, our feature presentation...
______________________________________________________________________________

2.  WHAT ABOUT "1-800" CODES?
-----------------------------

     In recent times, codes with "1-800" access numbers have been very
plentiful and popular.  In additon, while there are many stories going around
about the "unsafe 950 codes", the 1-800 codes have been reported to be
relatively safe.  DO NOT BELIEVE THIS!  Using a 1-800 code from your house is
like playing Russian Roulette.  Any 1-800 number you call has the capability
to get the number you're calling from.  This does not just apply to codes.
Many businesses and party-lines that begin with 1-800 also get your phone
number the second you call in.  If you are abusing codes that have this
ANI/Caller-ID capability, your phone number will appear on the bill of the
codes that you were using.  At this point, your ass will be grass.  We will
not lie to you.  Many 1-800 numbers are very safe.  Many of them DO NOT have
the ANI that we just talked about.  However, since there are so many different
1-800 codes that you'll run into, and because there is no way to tell whether
or not they have ANI, you are taking stupid chances by using them.  Do not
fall for stories like "I've been using this 1-800 code and it's been safe."
Many of them have the ANI and just choose not to pursue the fraudulent calls
until a later date.  Our advice is to ALWAYS stay away from using 1-800 codes,
except from pay-phones.


3.  WHAT'S WITH THE 950-XXXX CODES?
-----------------------------------

     You've probably heard a lot of bad stuff about the so-called "950 Codes".
Do not fear, as these codes are very safe if you use them correctly.  First
of all, we will explain how 950 codes work.  Whenever you dial the 950 access
number (i.e. 950-1493, 950-0488, etc.), you are accessing the switchboard
of the company that owns the 950 number.  Being that these 950 numbers can
be dialed free from any home phone or pay phone, your LOCAL phone company
(such as GTE, Ma Bell, Centel, or whoever provides your local phone service)
will charge the 950 company 5 1/2 cents.  For example, if you were to dial
950-0488 (ITT), your local phone company would charge ITT 5 1/2 cents for
this call.  In addition, this is REAL MONEY lost by the 950 company to the
local phone company.  It is not the money supposedly "lost" because you didn't
pay for the call you're making.  If you make 1000 calls to a 950 number, that
950 company will owe your local phone company $55 for those calls!  Normal
people would not call a 950 number 1000 times even in one month, but
when you hack 950 codes, it's a different story.  When your computer dials
up your favorite 950 carrier 3000 times to find a working code, it is costing
this 950 company $115!!  Multiply this by thousands of hackers and you know
that a lot of these small 950 long-distance carriers have got a problem!
As a result, *ALL* of the 950 companies have asked *ALL* of the local phone
companies to contact them WITH THE NAMES AND PHONE NUMBERS of people who
have dialed them "more times than humanly possible".  Do not panic, this
does not mean that 950 codes aren't safe.  As stated above, these 950
companies ONLY want the names of those dialing them thousands of times per
month.  If you just USE codes and don't HACK them, these 950 companies will
NOT be getting your name & number from your local phone company.  Why?
Because when you are just USING codes, you will dial them up no more than a
few hundred times per month (even if you call out a LOT).  Since many of
their legitimate customers call that often, they can not go sifting through
the different names trying to determine who is a hacker and who isn't.
However, the person who dials a 950 number about 20,000 times in one week
definitely has "hacker" written all over him.  The general rule of thumb is
that it's safe to USE 950 codes, but NOT SAFE to hack them.  Let some other
poor sap who isn't reading this file hack the codes and get busted.  There
will always be enough dumbshits out there doing this that you can leech
codes off of anyway.  Read on to find out some MORE tips on how to abuse 950
codes safely...


4.  HOW TO USE 950 CODES SAFELY
-------------------------------
     First of all, KNOW THE COMPANY YOU'RE ABUSING.  Do *NOT* start phreaking
with a 950 number that you don't know the name of the company who owns it.
Make sure to find out who you're fucking with BEFORE you fuck with them.
The next step is to call the company that you want to abuse.  Make sure to
call them during business hours, Monday thru Friday, so you can get to the
right departments.  Once you call, ask for the customer service department
and start asking the customer service rep. some questions.  Tell them that
you are thinking of subscribing to their service but that your "friend"
had his code abused with them and you want to know what they are doing to
stop these "hackers".  Do NOT sound too knowledgable about phreaking or they
may catch on.  Make sure to play dumb.  Ask them if they have a Caller-ID
feature that tells you where all calls on your bill are made FROM.  If they
say "yes", then DO NOT FUCK WITH THEM.  If they say "no", then start dicking
this company over right away!  If they say "Duh, I don't know!", then try
to ask to be connected with someone who does know.  If no one knows, then
chances are that they are safe to fuck with.  TRY THIS PROCEDURE WITH AT
LEAST TWO DIFFERENT REPS.  Sometimes they will bullshit you for one reason
or another.  Also, do not fall for comments like, "We have no Caller-ID but
we have a good security department and usually catch the hackers."  This
is their equivalent of saying, "We are lame, come and abuse us."  Also,
do not be the "guinea pig" for trying out new companies to abuse.  Let others
try them for about a month before you start screwing with them.  If all seems
to be going well, then you're probably safe.  If you hear that the company
you're abusing has been busting people, get the FACTS.  Find out if these
"busted" people were reported by someone or if they were hacking codes.  If
either of these are true, DO NOT WORRY.  Remember, there are other ways to
get busted besides the company having ANI/Caller-ID.  Finally, make sure to
NEVER hack codes yourself.  We cannot stress this enough.  They WILL catch
up with you, and getting busted is FAR from fun.


5.  DON'T LISTEN TO OTHER PHREAKERS
-----------------------------------

     It's sort of ironic that authors of phreaking g-files are telling you
not to listen to other phreakers about what is safe or not.  Why?  Because
95% of the so-called "phreakers" out there are a bunch of inexperienced
r0dents, so you'll end up with false info 95% of the time.  Don't try to
determine which people "know" about it and which don't.  Many people can put
on a pretty good act that they know what they're doing, when they really
have no idea what is going on.  Many will tell you that all 950's have ANI,
many will tell you that 800's are safe, and some will even say that it's safe
to hack codes.  DO NOT BELIEVE THEM.  In case you're now worried about the
credibility of OUR file, rest assured that we have checked out all of the
info written above with the phone companies themselves, so it is surely
correct.  If you find some facts in here that can be proven wrong, you are
welcome to contact us and we will change the incorrect info.  Our number
will be at the end of the file.


6.  WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU GET BUSTED?
-------------------------------------

     Hopefully you'll never need this section of our file, but you never know.
Getting busted for phreaking is a STATE crime (NOT a federal offense).
Contrary to many of the stories you have heard, the FBI does NOT get involved
in phreaking activites.  This matter is left to your local Police or Sheriff's
Department.  Once you are caught, expect to have your computer equipment
confiscated (temporarily or permanently), be forced to pay a fine from
$2000-$10,000 dollars, and have charges pressed on you if you are over 18.
Phreakers caught under 18 are rarely brought to court if their parents
are willing to settle with the long-distance company.  If all of this sends
chills down your spine, BE CAREFUL.  Getting busted for phreaking defeats
the purpose of phreaking in the first place, because you'll end up losing
more than you gained from the free calls.


7.  WHAT IF SOMEONE REPORTED ME?
--------------------------------

     If you think someone has reported you or you think that the phone company
is on to you, our advice is to STOP PHREAKING for at least FOUR MONTHS.  Any
less amount of time will do you no good.  One of our OWN MEMBERS got busted
in early 1989 because he started phreaking again after "cooling off" for
two months because he knew someone reported him.  The way the phone company
"monitors" people's lines for PHREAKING (not to be confused w/the way they
monitor HACKING CODES) is they put a "tone-register" on your line.  This
"tone-register" will record every digit you press on your touch-tone phone.
It is VERY EXPENSIVE to run this device (about $50/day), and the phone
company will NEVER leave it on a "clean" line for more than 4 months.  If
you can't wait out the four months, there is an alternate (but not foolproof)
solution.  Dial the 950 number in pulse.  You will still have to dial the
code in touch-tone, but dialing the number in pulse will prevent your local
phone company from figuring out which service you are calling (when tracing
you through the tone register).  DO NOT confuse this with the way they bust
CODE HACKERS.  They are COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.  There is NO SAFE WAY to hack
codes.  A "tone-register" would not be put on your line unless 1) Someone
reports you, or 2) You phreaked a few times with a number that had ANI, but
not enough times for you to get busted.


8.  "CALLER-ID STATES" SHOULD WATCH OUT
---------------------------------------

     If you live in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York or New Jersey, you have
a real problem.  ANYONE, including residences, businesses, and ESPECIALLY
long distance companies have the option of Caller-ID.  This makes it very
hard to phreak with ANYTHING safely.  More and more states will end up
with Caller-ID as time passes.  As of the date of this file, California
DOES NOT have Caller-ID, and neither do any of the other states not mentioned
above.  If you hear about Caller-ID becoming available in your community,
STOP PHREAKING until you can determine what is safe.


9.  SUMMARY OF ABOVE
--------------------

     Don't use 800 codes.  Don't hack *ANY* codes.  It is safe to use 950
codes as long as you know the company you're screwing with and are sure
that they're safe.  Most 950 companies DO NOT have ANI.  Use pulse if you
think someone's reported you.  Beware of phreaking from "Caller-ID" states.


10.  INFO ABOUT U.T.A. AND OTHER U.T.A. PHREAKING FILES
-------------------------------------------------------

     U.T.A. started on June 26th, 1989 as a group of two members from the
Los Angeles area.  By three weeks later, U.T.A. had grown to become eight
members strong, one of them being from Germany.  At the present moment,
U.T.A. has twelve members:

     Killer - President, from Los Angeles, CA.
     Impostor - Vice President/Public Relations, from Los Angeles, CA.
     Slam - BBS Relations, from Los Angeles, CA.
     Rice Burner - Demo maker, from Los Angeles, CA.
     Ace - Underground work, from Sacremento, CA.
     Undertaker - on temporary "disabled list", from Los Angeles, CA.
     Disposable Hero - Misc. functions, from Cleveland, OH.
     New Deal - Code & Box supplier, from Frankfurt, Germany.
     Phoenix - Box hacker, from Holland.
     Mr. Nobody/Jetaza - Code supplier, from Rotterdam, Holland.
     Domination - Code supplier, from Denmark.
     Bandit - Code supplier, from Denmark.

If by reading the above you get the impression that all U.T.A. does is
hack boxes and use codes, you are wrong.  We do many other things, and most
of our members have been into phreaking since its "take-off" in 1984.  We
are experts on "info" and can get loads of information about someone from
just a simple name and/or phone number.  We are experts on phone systems
and are always a few jumps ahead of the phone companies' new "busting"
techniques.

U.T.A. has published three other phreak-files to this date.  By the time
you read this, there might be more.  To obtain any other U.T.A. phreak-files,
U.T.A. Amiga demos, or info on joining (or teaming up with) U.T.A.,
please call us VOICE at:

                   ---->  (904) 843-9269  <----

Please leave a way for us to contact you (BBS, voice, or voice mailbox)
in your message to us.  Also, if leaving us a BBS number, MAKE SURE that
you leave us the the current new user password so we can get on.  If by
some chance the (904) number is gone by the time you are reading this, try
our ALTERNATE number at:  (313) 980-6855, when you hear the guy start talking,
hit *9805412.  This will bring you to our ALTERNATE box.  We rarely check
the (313) number, so do NOT leave us a message on it UNLESS the (904) box
is down.
______________________________________________________________________________

Other U.T.A. Phreak files:
   #1:  List of which companies "own" each 800 prefix (thanks to LoD!)
   #2:  List of which companies "own" each 950 number
   #3:  *5* ways to make free calls from pay-phones WITHOUT tampering with
          its wires or equipment.
______________________________________________________________________________

(C) 1990 U.T.A. Enterprises.  No modification of this file permitted without
express written permission, but you can upload it "as-is" to anywhere you want
and give it out to all your friends at school and work.  If you violate this
copyright agreement, we're not gonna sue you.  We'll just kick your fucking
ass!