Voice mail computers represent an $800 million per year business, with a projected 40-percent annual growth rate. A voice mail computer operates like a highly sophisticated answering machine and is frequently attached to an 800 telephone number. Security on voice mail computers is accomplished through numeric passwords assigned by the computer administrator. Hackers use voice mail to obtain high-volume traffic in illegal access codes. Stolen access codes are used to pay for long-distance calls, and individuals and companies learn of the abuse when they receive their telephone bills. Hackers also obtain credit card numbers and computer passwords. Hacker abuse of voice mail computers causes direct and indirect losses. Direct monetary losses are slight because hackers use only a few voice mailboxes on the computer and seldom preclude legitimate customers or employees from using their own voice mailboxes. Indirect losses are more substantial, particularly those involving long distance calls. The Doucette case is the first Federal prosecution mounted against the abuse of voice mail computers, and details of the case are provided. As a result of her case, persons convicted of computer-related crimes now face federally-mandated prison terms and restitution, depending on the magnitude of the fraud.
Costly Callers: Prosecuting Voice Mail Fraud
NCJ Number
131375
Journal
Security Management Volume: 35 Issue: 7 Dated: (July 1991) Pages: 41-45
Date Published
1991
Length
5 pages
Annotation
In August 1990, Leslie Lynne Doucette was sentenced to 27 months in prison for her role as head of a nationwide voice mail computer fraud scheme. Evidence developed during the investigation and disclosed in pretrial proceedings revealed the case was part of a broader trend toward voice mail computer abuse by hackers.
Abstract