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US Justice Department spying now

by on14 November 2014

Why should the NSA have all the fun

The US Justice Department is gathering data from thousands of mobile phones, including both criminal suspects and innocent Americans, by using fake communications towers on airplanes. The US Marshals Service began operations in 2007 and uses Cessna planes flying from at least five major airports and covering most of the U.S. population.

The planes use devices made by Boeing that mimic mobile cell phone towers used by major telecommunications companies and trick mobile phones into revealing their unique registration data, the report said. Dubbed "dirtboxes," the cops can collect information from tens of thousands of cell phones in a single flight.

It said a Justice Department official would not confirm or deny the existence of such a program, saying such discussion would allow criminal suspects or foreign powers to determine US surveillance abilities. It insists it operates with court approval, which suggests the flights must be linked to specific investigations.

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