Sprint Cracks Down on TTY Relay Abuses

An anonymous reader writes "Sprint thinks it has found a way to keep West African scam artists from using Sprint's deaf-relay service to defraud people." Our previous two stories have background information.

Comments

Problem looks very familiar

[RobertB-DC]

But one former MCI relay operator said blocking internet addresses will only be a temporary obstacle for abusers of the Internet-relay system. That's because the scam artists can continuously find alternative Internet-protocol addresses...

I think every popular web-based service dealt with this issue years ago, including Slashdot. I guess nobody involved in setting up the TTY relay services ever ran a message board?

"Obviously it's had the effect of cutting down these calls, but they're going to find new hosts and call back anyway... It's always going to be a cat-and-mouse game."

Or to put it in the Slash vernacular, a troll-and-moderator game.

Grodevant would prefer a system in which legitimate users register in advance to gain access to the system.

Again, Slashdot provides an example of a solution. Sometimes, you need to be anonymous. But creeps and crooks are among those who prefer anonymity. So you simply flag the calls: "You have a call from a registered TTY user" vs. "You have a call from an Anonymous Coward".

I can see why the telcos didn't put these protections in place from the beginning, though... preying on the disabled is about as low as you can get. The companies simply didn't realize that these bastards have to look up to even see "as low as you can get".

Why is anonymity an issue?

[Henry Stern]

Whenever I make a telephone call, for whatever purpose, it is associated with my telephone number. Thus, I am accountable for the use of my communications equipment.

Why should it be different for people using TTY services? Provisions for anonymity only allow people to abuse the telephone system.

Re:Of course...

[PalmerEldritch42]

Actually, I have done this. A deaf acquaintance of mine used to call me all the time and we would try to see how far we could go before the operator would stop translating. Sometimes, we'd get someone who would enjoy it.. Sometimes, we'd get the uber-prim-and-proper type. Those were by far the most fun.