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Citizens for Limited Taxation

Spoofing 911 Calls in Framingham
At 00:15 AM this morning (September 29, 2008) someone rang my doorbell.
Shortly after, someone knocked hard on my door.
I went downstairs, saw flashlights looking into my house.
I open the door and found the Framingham police on the other side. The officer claimed I made a 911 call. I told him it was not me. He stated that the call had been verified with the phone company. I repeated it was not me that made the call. The officer muttered something about a couple of hangups on my number. He asked me whether I was all right and I confirmed that I was. End of incident.

A few minutes before I could have sworn I heard my phone ring just once. It could have rung several times but the last ring woke me up.
I checked for messages but none found.

After the door bell rang, there was no announcement on the other side stating it was the Framingham police.

After the door knocking, there was no announcement on the other side stating it was the Framingham police.

This is really bad procedure by the police. This is the William Welch approach to insecurity. A well armed individual with a cranky demenaor might have protected himself from possible intruders.

Always identify yourselves.

This incident raises all sorts of questions.

  • At what time did the call come in?

  • Was there a voice recording? If so, can I get a copy?

  • How easy is it to spoof the 911 system?

    If the system is easy to spoof, how easy is it to backtrace?

    I would like to have the Framingham police investigate who made the call before your slightly used SWAT vehicle shows up at my house.

  • Does anyone in your department have such knowledge that I can speak to?
    I am Curious George when it comes to phone phreaking.

  • What does it mean that the call was verified by the phone company?

    What is the procedure to perform such a verification?

    Is this an automated 911 internal check?

    Does someone call the phone company to verify it?
    If so, who called who?

  • How many such false (spoofed) 911 calls does the Framingham police department get per year?

    What percentage of 911 calls are false, such as mine. Ignore 911 calls that are non-emergency.

  • Had I not answered my door, what would the next step be in your voluminous procedure book?

    To break down my door to protect me?

    Like Gregory Reardon was protecting me on Speen Street?

  • Was this a test run before the SWAT vehicle is called in?

    http://www.gcn.com/blogs/tech/45251.html

    Is the Framingham police looking around for some use for their new slightly used SWAT vehicle?

    Take this complaint as a warning to you. If your SWAT vehicle shows up and the call is false and spoofed, the Town of Framingham will be sued.

    A google search of "spoofing 911 calls" results in some interesting findings.

    http://www.gcn.com/blogs/tech/45251.html
    http://www.spoofcard.com/
    http://www.securityfocus.com/brief/702
    http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/consumerfacts/callerid.html

Date: October 1, 2008

RCN came over to check my phone line. They seemed clueless about spoofing 911.

Date: October 2, 2008

Technology tends to keep excellent logs on itself but Lt. Hill of the Framingham police stated that they had gone as far as they could. I suspect that they suspect an inside job here.

If the Framingham police discover the caller to be one of their own, would they ever disclose this? If they did, they would be sued out of business.

Send comments to: hjw2001@gmail.com