How are criminals abusing Internet Relay?

Internet Relay has been hijacked by criminal gangs in Nigeria who use this free service to scam businesses and individuals in the U.S. If you already know all about this because you've been victimized, find out what to do next.

Internet Relay is an operator-assisted phone service for the deaf, hard of hearing and speech impaired, but anyone can use it. All they have to do is go to one of the Internet Relay websites (run by Sprint, MCI, AT&T or Hamilton) and type a telephone number for the operator to dial. The operator then relays the conversation, typing what is said to the person on the computer and reading what is typed to the person on the telephone.

There are no long distance charges with Internet Relay. Since there are no safeguards in place to ensure that only people who need the service use the service, Internet Relay has given overseas criminals free telephone access to a huge market of potential victims — the U.S. and its territories.

Heard enough? Learn how to save Relay for those who need it and in 60 seconds or less, tell the FCC and Congress how to fix this mess. Too late? Learn what you can do if you've been a victim of Internet Relay fraud. Otherwise, click here for a description of typical Internet Relay scams.

Are they all from Nigeria?

Not necessarily. But many say they're calling from Nigeria and most merchandise is shipped to Nigeria.

Overseas criminals have several major advantages when it comes to credit card and wire fraud. Practically speaking, merchandise or money sent overseas is impossible to get back. If law enforcement is weak or corrupt, there is almost no risk the criminal will be caught or punished. And where many subsist on less than $2 a day, theft of just a few thousand dollars brings great wealth.

A connection to al Quaeda?

Relay operators worry that not only are businesses and individuals being ripped off, but that some of the money is going to fund terrorist networks. Early on, Internet Relay was flooded with calls to Pakistan, a well-known hub of terrorist activity. Eventually this problem was solved when Internet Relay providers stopped placing calls to numbers outside the U.S. and its territories.

In his book Blood from Stones, The Secret Financial Network of Terror, author and former West Africa bureau chief for The Washington Post Douglas Farah describes petty scams similar to those run through Relay. Done in volume, these scams formed major revenue streams for terrorists. It is clear to relay operators, at least, that Internet Relay fraud is an organized criminal activity, each scam bleeding just a few thousand dollars out of the U.S. economy. Taken as a whole, however, the toll is in the millions.