ok is this my high speed connection or the feds?

ok..i got vonage phone service running through my high speed internet...now i have noticed a lot of static, dialng (while im talking) and other things like tht the things ive heard about phone tapping...i got the service back in early november just before the election...and i had talked a lot about it to my friends and stuff....then i started noticing all the crap so i read about tapping on here and its he same crap yall say bout the feds tapping...idk if its my connection or the feds any ideas?

reply to post by Twix


Vonage is the easiest type of conversation to tap, since they merely need to intercept it while it is being transmitted between servers.

yes but from what i posted do u thik its tapped?

and also, if my phone is tapped, will tht ruin my chances of becoming a federal officer?
like fbi or atf and what not im plannin on doin tht

Despite your personal experiences I can tell you that roughly 50% of the time you use Vonage your conversation is being listened to by a hacker or the US Gov.

The best thing you can do is don't say anything that proves you guilty of any crime, and most obviously do not say any of the key words like terrorism, bombs, nukes, nuclear, Jihad, etc. If you must discuss illegal topics you need to come up with code words and code phrases like they do in the prison system.

They aren't going to bust in your door for talking about how much pot you smoke.

Originally posted by Twix
and also, if my phone is tapped, will tht ruin my chances of becoming a federal officer?
like fbi or atf and what not im plannin on doin tht

No. The only thing that would prevent you from becoming a federal officer would be a court conviction from your conversations. The phone tapping conducted by the U.S. is mainly for intelligence gathering rather than convictions.

LOL, voip is a dangerous way to communicate if you have something to hide from the government? You don't do you??


If not I wouldn't worry about it, unless you have valuable information.....

Try disconnecting everything from the ata and then attach one corded phone to it, if it stops then make sure you don't have a dialup modem trying to connect out. Also make sure cellular phones, walkie talkies, baby monitors, and other devices are not close to the source and interfering.

ok well i dont really have anyting to hide im only 16 lol i dont smoke pot lol but idk i jus tripped me out cuz of this

Vonage just sucks. No one is tapping your phones. I have vonage too and it is awful. It has static and also give me choppy internet connection. It is the service. That is why it is so cheap.

Originally posted by Twix
ok well i dont really have anyting to hide im only 16 lol i dont smoke pot lol but idk i jus tripped me out cuz of this

Nah, your good then. The government has nothing on you. Even if you were convicted of something at 16, your record has the potential to be erased when you reach adulthood (18) assuming it's not murder [where you are tried as an adult].

well i was jsut makin sure cuz i dont want to git my mom or step dad in trouble either..or myself so yeah..

Originally posted by Twix
well i was jsut makin sure cuz i dont want to git my mom or step dad in trouble either..or myself so yeah..

You are smart to think ahead. Just use common sense to keep yourself clean.

1.) Never say a statement directly. (i.e. "I want to [do this to] the Gov.")
2.) Never identify yourself and have your friends stop using your name in conversations.
3.) Keep the terrorist, government, and 9/11 jokes off the wires. They don't think it's funny.
4.) If you must discuss illegal activity through the wires, use code words, code phrases, and speak in tongue (Not in pig latin either ).

[edit on 12/17/08 by Yoda411]

The NSA can, and does listen to any wireless phone call they wish to, at will. I know they try to make you think cell phones are encrypted, but who do you think comes up with the encryption software? Not only that, I can sit outside your home with a laptop, with the right software installed, and clone your cell to my own phone and make calls at your expense. Your wireless pone can also be LoJacked to find and track you wherever you go, and also you can be heard on your cell even if it's turned off. I will say nothing about the cancer and DNA damage one gets from using microwave emitting devices. Just type "cell phone dangers" into any search engine.

Unless you are making a lot of threats to the country or elected officials or using key words that are linked to terrorism,terrorist,or a lot of over seas calls then you are 99.9% ok.

1). they don't have the man power to monitor every phone or internet conversation happening every day 24/7.

2). If you are a person of interest that have possible ties to unsavory connections then yes you are probably being monitored.

3). They like people to believe they are being monitored as it keeps the masses behaving themselves.....big brother does not think we are capable of acting like good adults.

A couple of things-

If a knowledgeable person is motivated enough, yes they can listen in on your IP phone conversations.

IP phone stuff still doesn't have the "5 nines" of reliablilty of legacy telco service. That's 99.999% no fail/no issue quality. So there can be more clicks and pops than you might be used to if you're comparing it to traditional landline service.

Your security is in your obscurity - if they have no interest in you then you're probably safe. "They" meaning the government. A malicious individual is a whole other story.

When it comes to electronic security, as far as I'm concerned The Man is Bruce Schneier and here's what he had to say on this topic.

If your phone is being tapped, the last thing you would hear is static and dialing on it. Today's tapping technology is a little bit better than that.

Vonage sucks, yeah. It also doesn't help if you have the vonage box real close to your modem. To close and you'll get interference.