ATLANTA-Two cellular cloning suspects were arrested last month in the culmination of an investigation dubbed “Operation Cottontail,” a cooperative effort between three wireless communications carriers in the Atlanta area.
Price Communications Wireless Inc., AirTouch Cellular and BellSouth Mobility Inc. used directional finding equipment and other investigative techniques to identify the suspects, operators of East Atlanta Wireless, and shut down the alleged Atlanta cloning ring.
The suspects have been charged with more than 25 felonies after the execution of search warrants found 126 cloned phones, more than 200 stolen cellular numbers and electronic serial number combinations, and cloning equipment and computers, according to the companies. Two vehicles and all business records were seized.
Shelly Porter, fraud manager for Price Communications Wireless, attributed the success of Operation Cottontail to the cooperation between the cellular carriers in the region. “Carriers from large markets like Atlanta recognize the need to cooperate and assist the smaller, neighboring markets in the fight against cellular fraud,” she said. “Everyone benefits from getting the criminals off the streets who are targeting legitimate cellular users.”
Ninety percent of the cellular numbers recovered in this case were owned by Price, which has a fraud profile system based in Fort Myers, Fla. The system tracks calls made by cloners to provide information about the suspects’ identities.
Price said it plans to implement authentication technology in 1998.
