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The Outing of Pranknet

Posted by timothy on from the richly-deserved dept.

An anonymous reader writes "The Smoking Gun recently published a story on their investigation and outing of Pranknet, an online cabal that aims to take pranks to the next level. Their legacy includes thousands of dollars of damage, and many harassed souls. Many of the pranks have clear criminal implications. Reading their report may send chills down your collective spines." From the linked article: "Coalescing in an online chat room, members of the group, known as Pranknet, use the telephone to carry out cruel and outrageous hoaxes, which they broadcast live around-the-clock on the Internet. Masquerading as hotel employees, emergency service workers, and representatives of fire alarm companies, 'Dex' and his cohorts have successfully prodded unwitting victims to destroy hotel rooms and lobbies, set off sprinkler systems, activate fire alarms, and damage assorted fast food restaurants. But while Pranknet's hoaxes have caused millions of dollars in damages, it is the group's efforts to degrade and frighten targets that makes it even more odious ..."

11 of 543 comments (clear)

  1. Re:these are not pranks! by Kratisto · · Score: 2, Funny

    To report a felony, please send your Social Security number and a short report of the crime to identitythief2001@sketchydomain.biz

    --
    Conscience is the inner voice which warns us that someone may be looking.
  2. Re:idle hands by EdIII · · Score: 3, Funny

    It's not just his parents. It's all of society that enables these kinds of folk. Back in the day we'd just leave them for the wolves.

    I thought it was bring them to the wolves.

  3. Re:these are not pranks! by stuckinphp · · Score: 4, Funny

    Hitler had a neat script we could probably port over with perl. I don't think I want that on my conscience though.

    --
    if only
  4. Re:What idiots by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    If I were the motel owner and one of my guests did this, my response would NOT be, "Oh.. let's put our Sherlock Holmes hats on and find out who that mean prankster was!" It would be, "You better find a good lawyer, because my insurance company will be calling."

    Woah, internet tough guy invoking the lawyers!

    *shudder*

  5. Re:these are not pranks! by Hal_Porter · · Score: 2, Funny

    This

    --
    echo -e 'global _start\n _start:\n mov eax, 2\n int 80h\n jmp _start' > a.asm; nasm a.asm -f elf; ld a.o -o a;
  6. Re:Dear Pranknet by lennier · · Score: 2, Funny

    "You are aware that we just elected a professional class and race warrior as president, right?"

    Classy *and* racy!

    --
    You are not a brain: http://books.google.com/books?id=2oV61CeDx-YC
  7. Re:these are not pranks! by Zontar+The+Mindless · · Score: 4, Funny

    Political dissent does not directly lead to that sort of harm, ...

    "Offer may vary in North Korea and Iran."

    --
    Il n'y a pas de Planet B.
  8. Re:these are not pranks! by dintech · · Score: 4, Funny

    Hitler had a neat script we could probably port over with perl. I don't think I want that on my conscience though.

    I don't think I'd want that on my concience either. If you had a chance to go back in time and kill the creator of Perl, you'd probably do it.

  9. Re:these are not pranks! by redJag · · Score: 4, Funny

    Really? Cool! Let me try...
    hunter2

  10. Re:idle hands by Reservoir+Penguin · · Score: 3, Funny

    His mom is living with him. Big difference.

    --
    US-UK-Israel: The real Axis of Evil
  11. Re:these are not pranks! by hesiod · · Score: 2, Funny

    867-53-0999

    Is that Jenny's SSN?