%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% % % % Better Homes and Trashing % % % % Written by..... The Saint % %%%%%%%%%%%%% %%%%%%%%%%%%% % Thanx to Ares for his help! % % % % June 24, 1987 % %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%% Intro: This file is intended for informational purposes only!!! The authors (The Saint and Ares) take no responsibility whatsoever for any actions taken by anyone who reads the contents of this file. Primarily, this file will discuss the general idea behind trashing, the risks involved, and some general tips to make your trashing venture successful. Basics: The basic reasons for trashing can vary, but are generally: 1> To obtain credit cards and/or carbons of credit cards. 2> To obtain any information that may be useful in the aid of phreaking. When choosing a place to go trashing, one must keep in mind the following: 1> Location of dumpster 2> Security of property where dumpster is located 3> Type of trash that may be found First, the location. You generally want to pick a place that is somewhat isolated, where there will not be a lot (preferably none) of people. To accomplish this, it is also best to do your trashing at night, as there will not likely be any employees at the location, and it is easier to hide and to not be seen by passers-by. Second, the security. Places such as Telco buildings and large companies often have security guards on duty 24 hours, and often keep their dumpsters behind fences so as to discourage trespassing. Yes, you are trespassing when you start looking in someone's garbage can!!! So it is a good idea to check out the place you are going to trash for a day or so to get a feel for what kind of security they have. This way, you can avoid walking in blindly to some place and getting nabbed, or you can figure out where to park your car, or where to hide, or how to avoid the security (rent-a-cops). Places such as department stores and banks most likely will not have any security for the outside of their buildings as they may not be able to afford it or may not anticipate trashers. Also, they may not have anything worth taking! So basically, check the place out before you just go and hit it. Case in point. One night, my friend and I casually pulled into the parking lot of a Pacific Bell office, and before we knew what was happening, a security guard had a giant spotlight glaring down on us. We just casually made a u-turn as if we were just turning around to go the other way. (More on what to do if you get caught later). Third, you must pick a place where you know there will be trash that is of use to you. Don't go trashing at some little deli, all you'll get is a bunch of rotten food! (Unless of course you know for a fact that the deli deals alot with credit cards). In searching for cards, pick places such as department stores or places that sell alot of expensive stuff. Also, the local telephone company is, of course the place to go to find your basic phreaking info. These have been some of the basics to keep in mind before you hit aplace. Now for some techniques to use to help increase the efficiency of your trashing endeavors. Tips: First of all, don't be afraid to actually go into the trash can. This is almost always necessary to reach the good stuff. Also, when you are ducking down inside a big dumpster, you cannot be seen by passing police cars or security guards who happen to waltz by. Second, always have a lookout somewhere to keep an eye out for cops or employees who may be coming out to throw trash away. You may want to have some kind if signal so that if you have advanced warning of security, you can take evasive measures, like burying yourself in the trash. Try not to spend too long in a given trash can. The longer you stay, the more you put yourself at risk of getting caught. This means that you cannot be too picky about what trash you take. There is plenty of time for that after you bail the scene with the goods. You may want to have a knife handy, however, to cut open boxes or bags, and a small flashlight is a good idea, although if possible, avoid using to much light or making too much noise, anything that could potentially attract someone. A car is a good thing to have, if possible. This greatly increases the range of places you can hit in one night. It is a good idea, if you are accumulating alot of stuff, to stop somewhere secluded and well lit (like a school or empty shopping center) and sort out the trash so you can get rid of useless garbage like food, etc. Take all the useless garbage and dump it into another dumpster. You may want to wear old clothes that can get messed up, and gloves are not a bad idea either, both to keep your hands clean, and to keep prints off of anything in case the place discovers what you have done. What to do if you get caught: This is perhaps the most important thing to keep in mind when trashing. What to do if you happen to be caught be someone and they want to know what you are doing. If you can, run like hell! Only do this if you have a clean getaway and you think you can get away without too much problem. Keep in mind that trying to escape may only make your situation worse. Only run if it looks like they are gonna bust you. In most cases, the people may just tell you to get out. They will probably ask you some dumb questions, like "What are you doing in the trash?" In this case, make up a story, like "Oh, my friend here threw a ball in here and I was looking for it." If the guard believes you, he will probably just tell you to get out with a strong warning. If they are serious about nailing you, however, chances are you'll only get charged with trespassing, which is not a major crime. In any case, however, maintain an extremely high level of caution when trashing, and always remain calm and collected. You can usually bullshit your way out of just about anything if you play your cards right. Hope this has helped you to gain some insight into how to go about gaining that valuable information you always wanted. Look for more informative files in the future from Better Homes and Anarchy. And if you have any comments or anything to add, you can get hold of me on the Electric Kingdom at (619) 484-5243. Please upload this to many BBS's around the country to help your phellow phreakers! The Saint Lunatic Labs (415) 278-7421