*** Welcome to piglix ***

Pranknet

Pranknet
Pranknet.jpg
Pranknet logo
Founded 2000
Founding location Ontario, Canada
Years active unknown
Membership 100+
Criminal activities Telephone harassment and hoaxing, via social engineering; DDoS attacks

Pranknet, also known as Prank University, is an infamous Canadian-based anonymous prank calling virtual community responsible for damage to hotels and fast food restaurants of more than $60,000 as well as multiple instances of telephone harassment. It was founded by a man who later referred to himself as "Dex" (alleged to be a Canadian man named Tariq Malik). The group has been linked to nearly 60 separate incidents.

Posing as authority figures, such as fire alarm company representatives and hotel front-desk/corporate managers, Pranknet participants called unsuspecting employees and customers in the United States and tricked them into damaging property, setting off fire sprinklers, breaking out windows, and other humiliating acts such as disrobing and consumption of human urine. Pranknet members can listen in real-time and discuss the progress together in a private chat room.

In 2009, a wave of the pranks across the United States prompted internal alerts by Choice Hotels, as well as advisories by the Orange County, Florida Sheriff's office, and others. At that time, law enforcement officials from a number of jurisdictions and the Federal Bureau of Investigation began investigating the various incidents as well as the identity of "Dex".

Pranknet participants initially used Skype to make their calls. As of 2009, Skype provided an uncontrolled registration system for users without proof of identity, making it difficult to trace and identify users. After Skype began an internal investigation, Pranknet left Skype and briefly used Paltalk for its chats. However, Paltalk banned Pranknet after a February 2009 KFC incident. After Pranknet users were banned from Paltalk, the company was subjected to multiple DDoS attacks. Beginning in 2009, members chatted before, during, and after each prank via Beyluxe Messenger, which is owned and operated outside North America. Audiences range from 40 to 200 people at any given time.


...
Wikipedia

...