Operation Cybersnare was a sting operation by

United States Secret Service The United States Secret Service (USSS or Secret Service) is a federal law enforcement agency under the Department of Homeland Security tasked with conducting criminal investigations and providing protection to American political leaders, thei ...

targeted at

computer hackers A security hacker or security researcher is someone who explores methods for breaching or bypassing defenses and exploiting weaknesses in a computer system or network. Hackers may be motivated by a multitude of reasons, such as profit, prot ...

. This was the first undercover Internet sting of its kind. Elaborate ruses were designed by law enforcement agencies to trap computer criminals. The operation lasted for 8 months. The sting resulted in arrests of six individuals and the breakup of a sophisticated cell phone fraud ring. These individuals stole millions of dollars worth of data.

History

In January 1995, the Secret Service set up an undercover

bulletin board system A bulletin board system (BBS), also called a computer bulletin board service (CBBS), is a computer server running list of BBS software, software that allows users to connect to the system using a terminal program. Once logged in, the user perfor ...

called “Celco 51” in

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. It was a forum for the purchase of stolen cellular phone access numbers, credit card numbers and personal identity information. An agent served as the board’s operator using the computer moniker “Carder One”. The undercover agents advertised this bulletin board as "catering to individuals involved in unauthorized computer intrusion and all aspects of computer fraud, including cellular telephone fraud." In September 1995, Individuals who stole and offered illicit products for sale in the group were identified and arrested. Twelve raids across the country resulted in the arrest of six hackers. More than 30 systems were seized. It also led to the confiscation of 65 illegally programmed phones and 14 readers.

Arrests

*Richard Lacap or Chillin, of

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, was charged with conspiring to break into the computer system of an Oregon Cellular Telephone company. *Kevin Watkins or Led, of

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, was charged conspiring to break into the computer system of an Oregon Cellular Telephone company. *Jeremy Golle Cushing or Alpha Bits, of

Huntington Beach Huntington Beach is a seaside city in Orange County, California, United States. The city was originally called Pacific City, but it was changed in 1903 to be named after American businessman Henry E. Huntington. The population was 198,711 as o ...

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, was charged with trafficking cloned cellular telephone equipment and stolen access devices used to program cellular telephones. *Frank Natoli or Mmind, of

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, was charged with trafficking in stolen access devices used to program cellular telephones. *Al Bradford or Cellfone, of

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, was charged with trafficking in unauthorized access devices used to program cellular telephones. *Michael Clarkson or Barcode, of

Brooklyn, New York Brooklyn is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City located at the westernmost end of Long Island in the New York (state), State of New York. Formerly an independent city, the borough is coextensive with Kings County, one of twelv ...

, was charged with possessing and trafficking in hardware used to obtain unauthorized access to telecommunications services.

History

Arrests

References

Further reading