Police and The NSA Use Fake Cellphone Towers (Called IMSI Catchers & Stingrays) to Spy and Track Us - Funny How They Try to Disguised Them

in #technology7 years ago (edited)

                          

Harris Corp based out of Florida is the company that makes the surveillance device called a stingray. They are also called cell-site simulators and IMSI catchers. They're illegal to use unless you work for a Federal Agency and they are really expensive, prices range from $50,000 to $500,000 if you include all the bells and whistles!  Surprisingly, only a few states require a warrant for their use and there is no federal law that regulates them.                               

Depending on the make and model, stingrays may be used just to track cell phone locations, or they may also intercept real-time phone calls, they can read live outgoing and incoming text messages or jam nearby cell phone signals so you can't make or receive phone calls.

                        

When a police department purchases one of these stingrays from the FBI they must sign a nondisclosure agreement and promise the FBI to never admit they even own the device. Which means the police and any other agency that has used this device on a criminal to obtain information or an arrest must drop the case instead of revealing the details of the stingray.  That is how guarded these surveillance devices are, even in states where it is legal to use one.  

I know from personal experience the power these machines are capable of.  Some of the things they can do are similar to a 'man in the middle attack' what it basically does is mimic your cell phone tower tricking your phone into connecting to it, once connected it can take total control of your phone no matter what carrier it is on or even if it is a prepaid burner phone.  The capabilities of these things are endless from listening to all of your phone calls to viewing all of your apps and controlling them.  It can even upload and download information from and onto your phone. While most people say "I have nothing to hide" that's exactly the mentality the Feds want us to have so they can strip us of our civil rights with no questions asked.  It is not about hiding anything, it's about our right to privacy.  Yes, these are great for catching criminals but they are also being deployed on millions of civilians a year for no reason whatsoever and I am living proof of it.  I will do a follow up post on the few things we can do to protect ourselves against one of these devices.

                             

Below are a few pictures of the police and Feds trying to hide where they put these surveillance devices. Some of these are hidden really well while others are comical to look at, that is once you know what to look for.

                                         

As you can see some are disguised in fake cactuses and palm trees!

                                      

While others were found in clocktowers and obelisks   

                                                     

Before and After! This one is something else!

Just bringing awareness

sources: https://www.pinterest.com/leaseadvisors/disguised-cell-towers/

https://www.aclu.org/map/stingray-tracking-devices-whos-got-them 

I hope you enjoyed. Please Upvote, Resteem, and Follow me @road2wisdom

 

                                                    

Sort:  

Congratulations @road2wisdom! You have completed some achievement on Steemit and have been rewarded with new badge(s) :

Award for the number of comments

Click on any badge to view your own Board of Honor on SteemitBoard.
For more information about SteemitBoard, click here

If you no longer want to receive notifications, reply to this comment with the word STOP

By upvoting this notification, you can help all Steemit users. Learn how here!

Wow, the lengths they go to.

yeah, Its messed up but true. I had this device used on me and it was scary and in the end all I got was an "im sorry" it was a mistake. I couldn't even call 911 it was scary! Thanks for posting. How have you been?

actually hadn't heard of this particular device, but it certainly doesn't surprise me. George Orwell must be rolling in his grave right about now...

One more reason I'm still happily sportin' my good 'ole trusty LG Chocolate. Not to mention, it still fits in my front pocket, no extra charge! 😁

I didn't know about it either until it was used on us about two years ago. This device was even listening to a prepaid phone we had at the time under no name. Reg Flip phone. The only thing we got out of it was an apology and "sorry wrong person" It was quite a terrorizing experience but since I'm not the type of person to sue let it go. One day, I will write out the entire story-it's probably a five-part post!

definitely sounds like it'll be an interesting read! and not to say flip phones are any less able to be compromised, but at least they can't take away every last shred of one's dignity, as they might be able to after perusing the "nsfw section" of a person's smartphone! lol

Travelling and then catching up after being gone for nine days, but good overall.

Glad to hear your travels went well :) Thanks or dropping by it was a pleasant surprise! You didn't forget about me after all
Just kidding heee
Have a great evening :0)

Definitely worth an upvote and a resteem :)

Great post, I am very familiar with these devices. when I was in the military we used them all the time. Thanks for bringing awareness

No problem! So you know the capabilities of these things can you share more on them?

Yes it's a real time man in the middle attack on steroids as you pointed out and it can just about be used on any phone or computer out there

When a police department purchases one of these stingrays from the FBI they must sign a nondisclosure agreement and promise the FBI to never admit they even own the device.

If that isn't a red flag I don't know what is. I had no idea these devices existed.

Thank you for the informative article. Looking forward to the follow up post!

You are welcome. The follow up will be about how we can protect ourselves from devices like this but the bigger story about when this was used on me and my family 2 years will prob be a few posts! thanks for sharing as always @lydon.sipe :)

And I am intrigued to read both of those pieces. Quality work as always @road2wisdom. :)

I'd like to mention there is a signal proof envelope you can get from amazon that prevents ANY Signal from getting out.. Just put your phone, and any cards with a chip inside the Envelope and you're in ghost mode...

But first turn off the phone. Otherwise it'll run down the battery fast, trying to reach towers.

Good Advice .. Thank You..

Yes, I know which one you mean but it also restricts you from getting phone calls but its great for public areas where you know they will be deployed and other events, thanks for reminding me about those. I will do a follow up and how to protect yourself against these. I can tell you now as you prob know, you cant do much. Thanks for sharing.

i look forward to that post...
Thanks..
Following...
i just started a series on Basic Survival...
Check it out if it interests you..

Thank you and I will certainly check then out thank you for sharing

Wrapping a phone in aluminium foil (bacofoil) does the same thing - but, of course, you can't use it! I tried it - it works.

When I first found out about this, it used to really piss me off! I am glad the awareness is spreading so everyone can know what these folks are doing! Great read Goddess! <3

Thank you @awarenessraiser <3 I need to find a sexy name for you now! I'll just call you 'sexy' mm heehee
ttyl ;0)

hahhaa! You're the best love! <3

nice post thanks for info I have heard about these things before and seen them in action in uk you can even buy these on line in the wrong hands they are very bad you can listen in and home in on thousands and thousands of signals once u on to the one you want you can get any info you want enyones passwords pin numbers every text or email ever sent you can listen to calls read every email and text ever sent all phone history and everything if you was sat in a hotel or your house you can spy on anyone thousands of numbers and signals to choose from very very bad news up vote from me thanks

Congratulations! This post has been upvoted from the communal account, @minnowsupport, by road2wisdom from the Minnow Support Project. It's a witness project run by aggroed, ausbitbank, teamsteem, theprophet0, and someguy123. The goal is to help Steemit grow by supporting Minnows and creating a social network. Please find us in the Peace, Abundance, and Liberty Network (PALnet) Discord Channel. It's a completely public and open space to all members of the Steemit community who voluntarily choose to be there.

If you like what we're doing please upvote this comment so we can continue to build the community account that's supporting all members.

Coin Marketplace

STEEM 0.23
TRX 0.22
JST 0.037
BTC 98709.14
ETH 3447.96
USDT 1.00
SBD 3.20