New York modem hi-jack bill
p2pnet.net News:- New York state is introducing what’s thought to be the first US bill aimed at halting modem hi-jacks.
"It’s a bizarre form of theft and fraud,” co-sponsor assemblyman Richard Brodsky, is quoted as saying in the The Journal News.
Senator James Wright, the other sponsor, said someone using dial-up service clicks on a Web site, prompting several pop-up windows.
“One window authorizes the downloading of modem software that is later remotely accessed to make international calls – billed to the computer user. The hijacker splits the money with an overseas telephone service.”
Hundreds of Irish phone users ran up large bills due because of modem hijacking, it was revealed last year.
In New York, the Journal News says the new bill would delete any automatic dialing programs; disconnect the computer if you hear it dialing automatically.
“The practice has been typically linked to travel, music and pornography sites on the Internet,” The Journal News has a Brodsky aide saying.
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See:-
The Journal News - Bill introduced to curb ‘modem-hijacking’, April 5, 2005
modem hijacking – Ireland modem hijack fraud, p2pnet, September 22, 2004
April 5th, 2005 at 11:14 pm
I got hit with this a few years ago… I had a $50 charge on my telephone bill… because of some call to some island >_> bastards used my modem to make some long distance call… why the hell do they even do it? what could possibly be the profit….
April 6th, 2005 at 6:39 am
these ppl have “arrangements” with the phone companies in those countries who bill your phone company for that call. Then your phone company adds their cut and hands the bill to you. I’d say that the foreign phone company probly got at least half that money. Multiply that by all the ppl who get stung at least once, it all adds up. And since you didn’t see, but “agreed to” the terms and conditions which in legalese gobbledygook “informed you” of what would happen, there’s not a lot you could legally do about it. So they can just keep on doing it for as long as ppl have dial up. Of course once everyone gets cable or dsl they’re going to be in trouble.
April 6th, 2005 at 1:44 pm
Since many local telco monopolies refuse to extend broadband service to many areas people should do it themselves. The technology already exists that will allow average people to build their own broadband network infrastructure. The best way to prevent modem hijacking is to not to have the modem plugged in.