A Case for Mistaken Identity... Who's Privacy was Really Invaded?

By Jim Bigeloww
SLO Bytes PCUG 

According to the San Luis Obispo County (California) Telegram-Tribune, dated  
Saturday, March 23, 1991, the San Luis Obispo Police raided the homes of two  
Cal Poly students and two other residents including one in Santa Margarita for  
alleged computer crimes, "hacking." The suspects had, through their computer  
modems, unknowingly tried to access a  computer owned by a group of local 
dermatologists. That same number had previously belonged to a popular local 
bulletin board, Cygnus XI. The police were alerted by the dermatologists and 
their computer technician who was afraid someone was trying to access their 
patient records. The police put a phone tap on the computer line for 10 days 
which showed over 200 calls placed to that number in one 24 hour period.  

Armed with a search warrant, police went to the house of the first suspect who 
later said he only called that number 3 times in a 24 hour period (I wonder who 
made the other 197 calls?).  Unfortunately he was not home... this cost him two 
broken doors as the police had to enter the house some way.  All computer 
equipment, disks and computer related equipment was "seized" and taken to 
police headquarters.  Follow-up articles reveal that the individual had not  
committed local crimes, that no charges would be filed and that the computers .
would be returned. Disks which were determined to contain illegally copied 
commercial software were to be turned over to Federal authorities.   
 
Like most personal home computer users I have interviewed, I didn't think much .