Big Brother is listening.

Legally it isn't possible. Modern day scanners cannot listen in to cell
phone conversations. While for the most part this is true it is not
true for everyone. Older scanners can pick up cell phone chatter, in
the 800 and 900 MHz range. Canadian scanners have no restrictions on
what they can listen to- just don't try bringing one across the border.
Radio phones and mobile phones are subject to scanner listening- but it
is not legal for Scanners to talk about what they hear.
Technically speaking any Public Safety Broadcast may be listened to with
scanners. Officially no one is supposed to talk about what they hear,
but this law is frequently violated in grocery stores and many other
gossip spots.

What many people do not realize is that many County police stations scan
cell phone calls on a daily bases. This is justified in that it may
assist in apprehending criminals. Some very recent developments make it
even easier for cell phones to be monitored.

Last winter I was listening to the local police closing in on a car
theft. The local city PD had been tipped of by the local county PD, who
had intercepted a cell phone call were some young kids were bragging
about the car they had stolen. The police knew which car it was when
the teens decided to boast about a cop car that had just driven past
them, and by the teen's description of the car over the cell phone.


[posted via phonescoop.com]

---

› See More: Big Brother is listening.

On Fri, 12 Sep 2003 05:10:58 -0000, [email protected] (William Bray)
wrote:

>Legally it isn't possible. Modern day scanners cannot listen in to cell
>phone conversations. While for the most part this is true it is not
>true for everyone. Older scanners can pick up cell phone chatter, in
>the 800 and 900 MHz range. Canadian scanners have no restrictions on
>what they can listen to- just don't try bringing one across the border.

Bull****. I can order one from there anytime I want. I have done just
that in the past.

>What many people do not realize is that many County police stations scan
>cell phone calls on a daily bases. This is justified in that it may
>assist in apprehending criminals.

Bull****. A vice cop was arrested for using cell phone listening for
his drug busts.



>Last winter I was listening to the local police closing in on a car
>theft. The local city PD had been tipped of by the local county PD, who
>had intercepted a cell phone call were some young kids were bragging
>about the car they had stolen. The police knew which car it was when
>the teens decided to boast about a cop car that had just driven past
>them, and by the teen's description of the car over the cell phone.

Then they broke the law. You don't know what you're talking about.

Bob <[email protected]> wrote in article

> Bull****. I can order one from there anytime I want. I have
> done just that in the past.

The sellers are required to disable access to the cellular
frequencies, though there is plenty of software out there
to re-enable access.

> Bull****. A vice cop was arrested for using cell phone
> listening for his drug busts.

It is illegal to listen to these frequencies, even for cops,
without authorization from a judge.

> Then they broke the law. You don't know what you're
> talking about.

The criminals were lucky since no prosecution could take
place.

And of course this all assumes that the criminals are using
AMPS, since with digital it is much harder, near impossible
with CDMA.

[posted via phonescoop.com]

Well, you may wish that I don't know what I am talking about, but you
were not there when the car was taken back to its owners. Radio wave
scanning was first instigated as a measure of combating bank robberies.
It is legal.

I own three scanners. Only the oldest model picks up cell phones. The
newer models do scan radio phones. This is an acceptable practice. So
when it comes to what scanners can and can't legally do I stand on
experience. My comment regarding Canadian scanners is from seeing them
get confiscated at the border.
If the police find you at a crime scene, with a scanner, they are free
to deprive you of that scanner, and you can face jail time either for
obstructing justice or adding a criminal. So if you own illegal
scanners- shut up.

Bob <[email protected]> wrote in article
<[email protected]>:
> On Fri, 12 Sep 2003 05:10:58 -0000, [email protected] (William Bray)
> wrote:
>
> >Legally it isn't possible. Modern day scanners cannot listen in to cell
> >phone conversations. While for the most part this is true it is not
> >true for everyone. Older scanners can pick up cell phone chatter, in
> >the 800 and 900 MHz range. Canadian scanners have no restrictions on
> >what they can listen to- just don't try bringing one across the border.
>
> Bull****. I can order one from there anytime I want. I have done just
> that in the past.
>
> >What many people do not realize is that many County police stations scan
> >cell phone calls on a daily bases. This is justified in that it may
> >assist in apprehending criminals.
>
> Bull****. A vice cop was arrested for using cell phone listening for
> his drug busts.
>
>
>
> >Last winter I was listening to the local police closing in on a car
> >theft. The local city PD had been tipped of by the local county PD, who
> >had intercepted a cell phone call were some young kids were bragging
> >about the car they had stolen. The police knew which car it was when
> >the teens decided to boast about a cop car that had just driven past
> >them, and by the teen's description of the car over the cell phone.
>
> Then they broke the law. You don't know what you're talking about.

[posted via phonescoop.com]

On Fri, 12 Sep 2003 21:39:50 -0000,
[email protected] (Cell Academician) wrote:

>Bob <[email protected]> wrote in article
>
>> Bull****. I can order one from there anytime I want. I have
>> done just that in the past.
>
>The sellers are required to disable access to the cellular
>frequencies, though there is plenty of software out there
>to re-enable access.
>
Sorry, you are wrong.

Cell Academician wrote:
> Bob <[email protected]> wrote in article
>
>
>>Bull****. I can order one from there anytime I want. I have
>>done just that in the past.
>
>
> The sellers are required to disable access to the cellular
> frequencies, though there is plenty of software out there
> to re-enable access.
>
>
>>Bull****. A vice cop was arrested for using cell phone
>>listening for his drug busts.
>
>
> It is illegal to listen to these frequencies, even for cops,
> without authorization from a judge.

------------------------
Maybe you should do some research on the Homeland Security Act. Many of
the things you took for granted (not needing a search warrant...being
able to lose your American citizenship for "bad-mouthing" the President
(of USA, of course) or the USA in general...being able to seize property
without prior authorization). It changed more than many people realize.
People got caught up "in stopping terror at all cost". But the thing
they don't know is, that the cost is of the rights of American citizens.
Go ahead, call a lawyer with a copy of the Homeland Security Act, and
see what you come out with. Looks like the police can listen to your
cellular conversations with "a mere suspicion that you are involved in
terrorist activity". It's like a cop being able to pull you over...it's
not hard to find a reason if you look. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy
living in a free country, but I do also like my privacy.

AD
------------------------


>
>>Then they broke the law. You don't know what you're
>>talking about.
>
>
> The criminals were lucky since no prosecution could take
> place.
>
> And of course this all assumes that the criminals are using
> AMPS, since with digital it is much harder, near impossible
> with CDMA.
>
> [posted via phonescoop.com]

1. Only analog signals can be listened to on scanners without great
difficulty
2. GSM systems use encryption
3. Some TDMA systems use encryption

Even if (2) and (3) did not use encryption, you would require a somewhat
sophisticated receiver processor to listen to phone calls. Generally
speaking, something called LAES (Lawfully Authorized Emergency
Survielliance) is invoked by a law enforcement agency in order to monitor
calls. And when this is done, it's done at the switch generally and
forwarded back to the Law Enforcement agency.