Tips on Trashing

by Dr. Williams

The phone company will indeed go to extremes.  Or so they say.  I've been told that they will prosecute anyone who goes rummaging through their garbage bins.  I don't know; even though by now I practically make regular rounds through their garbage bins, I've never been charged.  That's not to say I've never been caught - just never been charged.  By using common sense and discretion, I've never gotten into trouble.  I want to first tell you the benefits of exploring your local phone company's garbage, and then how to do it without getting into trouble.

Thrashing though the telco's garbage bins is hardly a revolutionary notion.  Articles on the subject have appeared in both TAP and 2600.  I hear tales off and on about the rewards other phreaks gain from trollopping though their local telco's garbage bins.  I also see textfiles on various BBSes about trashing.

As far as I'm concerned, there is no equal when it comes to the potential payoff of my telco's refuse bins.  Where else would you go to gain valuable information about the phone company other than to the phone company itself?  I would estimate that about 80 percent of what I pull out is rather mundane, boring, not practical for my purposes, or useless.  But, oh, that other 20 percent really pays off!  It gives me a sound idea of the local and regional picture.  Then, publications like 2600, Telephony, and Telecommunications help tie up the loose ends and fill in the big picture.  Indeed, as far as telephone information is concerned, the world is a gold mine!

My general rule for deciding which bins to raid is this: the bigger the telco building, the more people work there, the bigger the brass working there, the more I stay away from it.  I like buildings that are small, have a lot of grunts working within, and are out of the mainstream.  I let these rules guide my raiding activities.

In my area, there are some big telco buildings with art deco decorating that have parking lots the size of malls and have special teams of workers assigned just to think of the next excuse they can use to get the state utility commission to raise the phone rates.  As far as I'm concerned, these are poor targets security-wise.

First, some of these buildings have a private security force working for them, day and night.  I'm sure these minimum wage workers have nothing better to do than to make an international incident of finding someone going through their garbage.  The information that comes out of here is likely to be more sensitive; hence, a more developed security system (which also may include shredding of documents.

Second, the access holes into the Dumpsters may be limited.  The chute to the Dumpster may be located on the inside of the building.  Or, it may be the case that the Dumpster is a king-sized one, which requires a semi-tractor to haul it away.  This may translate into a more difficult entrance into the Dumpster.  Some of these Dumpsters also have compactors located inside of them, destroying a lot of documentation.

Third, typically more people work the mid- night shifts, so your chance of being spotted by an employee is also increased.

Fourth, these buildings tend to be located in the business districts of town.  This may mean a more overt police presence; at the very least, a faster response time.

Fifth, they're more likely to prosecute people going through their Dumpsters for "trespassing."  So, as tempting as it is (I'm positive a lot of good docs could be found), the reward versus risk ratio is too high for me.  The increased chance of being caught does not pay off.

My target lies in the smaller buildings.  These buildings are usually physically smaller in size, have a warehouse-type of exterior, and have a lot of company vans or trucks in the parking lot (as opposed to company cars).  These buildings may house switching equipment, maintenance equipment, computer operations, or storage facilities.  These building are an attractive target for several reasons.

First, there is usually no security presence at these locations.  This is a definite plus!

Second, little or no people tend to work at these locations late at night.  No people means no chance of being caught, almost.

Third, the police presence is not as strong.

Fourth, the garbage containers are easier to access and do not usually have any shredded material inside.  Although the information may not be as good, I'm not greedy; the potential payoff justifies the risk.

Equally important to me is my dress.  Simply put, I try to dress like a transient rummaging for food.  That way, if I'm caught, I'm more likely to be told to hit the road and never come back.  I have a special outfit I use just for this purpose.  I went to Goodwill and bought the scummiest jacket they had there.  I also bought a pair of Levi's that had enough holes in it, including the rear, and a pair of worn out, out of style slacks.  I use a pair of worn out tennis shoes that I've used for two seasons to mow the lawn with.  I also wear a cap on my head.  On the hygiene side, I do not shower or shave 16 hours before I start my planned activities.  I do not comb my hair before I leave.  I use a ratty torn backpack to put my material in.  In the backpack I carry a half pack of cigarettes (even though I don't smoke), a tin cup, and some beef jerky.  I might also take some other items to complete my disguise, depending on what is handy at the time.  With this, my outfit is complete.  That way, if I'm caught, I'm more likely to be recognized only as a derelict looking for food, not a phreak looking for information.

When traveling to the target, I always park my car at least three blocks from the scene, sometimes more depending on geography and conditions.  It is not unusual for me to park six blocks away.  I hide my wallet underneath the seat, and hide the keys in a magnetic lock key set stored under the car.

In over two years of thrashing through the telco's garbage bins, I have been caught twice.  Both times, I was told to beat it.  I got off because first, I dressed for the part.  Second, I practiced what I would say if I got caught.

When I actually did get caught, it was easy for me to ramble off a convincing excuse.  One time when I was caught, I had taken a half eaten, browned apple in my backpack.  When an employee caught me, I showed him my "gain" from their Dumpster, and told him I was looking for food.  He was convinced, and told me to get on my way.

I realize that some of these precautions may seem like a bit much.  It does take some effort to following them faithfully.  But I have heard countless tales of phreaks getting into trouble for bragging to their friends, getting careless with their activities, relaxing their reflexes, or feeling too comfortable and letting down their guard.

In my observations, the majority of phreaks have gotten into trouble by their own shortcomings - not through smart cops and aggressive prosecutors.  I have a college career, and in no way do I wish to jeopardize it.

So, go out there and thrash around, within reason.  The information to be gained is infinitely valuable.  Good luck!