The AT&T Internet Relay Service ------------------------------- by Alec ahw_2@yahoo.com The AT&T relay service can be found at relay.att.com. The relay is a service used (legitimatly) by the deaf and hard of hearing. There are two ways to use the relay. Modus operandi uno - TDD Payphone 1.) Handicapped person strolls up to a TDD/TTY payphone, such as the one at the high school outside the PAD. Person pushes the super secret TDD code on the payphone (it varies based on provider) and 2.) A little keyboard-looking-dealie slides out of the metal box underneath the payphone. It has a one or two line LCD display, like a modern typewriter, a qwerty layout and several non-standard keys. No caps, no return, etc. Instead, there are keys with cryptic abbreviations like GA and SK. 3.) Handicapped person connects to the relay service and gives a number to dial. Depending on who they call, the relay operator may or may not ask them for a method of payment. Most US 800 numbers are free. Handicapped person gives Op a credit card or redboxes in some quarters. Handicapped person becomes Handicapped consumer. 4.) The relay op calls the number and asks the person who picks up if they are familiar with the Relay Service. Person becomes familiar with the relay service. At this point the op's job is to repeat whatever the payphone user types to the person on the other end of the line, and to type in their response. 5.) This is where it becomes interesting. The relay op is bound *by law* to repeat whatever the consumer types in to the person they are calling. Normally this middleman gets pretty annoying. A typical call goes like this: Handicapped: Hello, CA, please call 319-389-2664 GA Op: Okay, that will be $7.19. Do you have a calling card? GA H: No, I'll just use quarters GA O: *sigh* Okay GA H: Beepbeepbeepbeep. Beepbeepbeepbeep. etc. O: Dialing... ringing.. pickup. (M) Hello? Who is this? GA H: Cactus! Hey Fritze GA *Long pause while the Op explains relay* O: W ho is this GA H: This is ROY the Cactus farmer, you silly german GA *Long boring pause* O: Tell him i if if this is alec so help me GA And the conversation goes on and on taking far longer than necessary, with the op growing bored and making typing mistakes. Fritze, er i mean the customer on who the handicapped person is calling, is so confused he just hangs up. There is a key on the TDD keyboard which says "GA" on it. This stands for "Go ahead". It is typical TDD/TTY ettiquette to say GA after you're done typing. Kindof like saying "Over" on walkie talkies. O: hangup. Would you like to call another number GA H: No, that is all SK O: Thank you for using AT&T GA H: SKSK "SK" stands for "Stop keying" to say that you're done talking. "SKSK" is like "Over and out". Modus operandi duo - Internet relay The other way to make relay calls requires internet access but is COMPLETELY FREE. No charge to the consumer. Almost more importantly, you can call any number in the country (and ostensibly to certain numbers in Canada). Long distance, local, doesn't matter. Free. Except for 1-900 numbers, for which you have to provide a valid credit card. To access the internet relay, point your browser at http://relay.att.com. It says on the site that you need to be running Windows with Internet Explorer or else it won't work. This is typical corporate BS. You need JavaScript, so the internet relay will work in almost every modern OS. Linux included. Anyway, the internet relay works in pretty much the same way as the payphone method, except it's easier and you can save and print logs of your conversations and whatnot. But if you get caught violating AT&T's terms of service (unlikely) they *could* log the IP of incoming connections. If you don't know what this means and you don't use AOL, it doesn't matter. Don't read those last couple of sentences if they confuse you. So you've read this entire article, save a few choice bits, and you still can't think of anything to do with free, untraceable, long distance phone calls? Nothing? At all? Try this; when you connect to the relay, before the Op dials the number, you're allowed to give them further instructions, ie. Call extension 22. Use this time to get to know your CA better. Ask them their name. Keep in mind that they don't *need* to tell you anything. They might disconnect you and there's nothing you can do about it, you liverface. But they might be feeling talkative or bored or something, maybe it's this Op's first day and he's prone to mistakes and he lets slip his nomen. Okay, let's follow this scenario out. Op: This is the AT&T relay service. What number do you want to call GA You: I need to make a lot of calls this evening and it would be helpful to me if I could know your name GA *Long pause. In Social Engineering like this, pretend you're an old person* Op: I'm Jim who is this GA You: Thanks Jim please call (number) GA Op: Dialing.. ringing.. ringing.. (f) Hello? *Remember, the Op is required to say what you type. Jim's job is on the line* You: This is Jim from AT&T is this Amy GA Op: What?! GA You: Say it, wage slave GA *tee hee* Op: (f) um do I know you GA You: No you don't but I know you, Amy GA *At this point make up a story about how the CA has been listening to all of your victim^h^h^h^h^h friend's phone calls and is stalking her etc. etc.* Op: okay this is weird bye (hangup) GA You: Talk to you later jim SKSK And then every time you use the relay, ask for Jim. So there you have it, a new and exciting way to defraud the phone company and harass potentially millions of unknowing people in your spare time.