Legislation
I sponsored, the Cellular Telephone Protection Act, which became
law in April 1998, makes it easier for federal law enforcement
to stop cell-phone cloning by targeting cloning at its source:
the equipment (black boxes) used to alter or modify the electronic
serial number of a cellular phone.
The law makes it a crime to knowingly possess, use, or traffic
in hardware or software knowing it has been configured to alter
or modify a cellular phone without authorization. The law is important
not only for law enforcement, but for the over 56 million Americans
who currently use wireless/cellular service.
Wireless fraud is not a victimless crime. It strikes at the heart
of technology that is improving the safety, security, and business
productivity of the entire nation. Cloning a phone can take about
30 seconds, and the cloned phone can then be used in an array
of criminal activities -- especially drug crimes.
The nature of fraud in cellular telephone systems is changing
as service providers incorporate new defenses, such as the introduction
of digital systems with encryption, authentication, and other
electronic security measures. These anti-fraud technologies have
proven to be a very effective countermeasure to cloning. In 1995,
the cellular industry reported fraud losses of $800 million due
primarily to the use of cloned cell phones. In 1998, those losses
dropped to less than $300 million – and now it is half of
that. Call your cellular carrier for more information on the defensive
technologies it has implemented.
If you suspect that your phone may have been cloned, take action
immediately by alerting your cellular carrier. You can also file
a complaint with the Federal Communications Commission by e-mail
(fccinfo@fcc.gov)
or telephone 1-888-CALL-FCC (1-888-225-5322). To minimize your
risk of becoming a victim of cell-phone cloning, pay close attention
to your phone bills for any unauthorized charges or calls.
