Feds in the scene

        There is often mass hysteria regarding the fact that boards get busted
and that the feds are closing in on a bust.  But most of this information is 
completely false.

        Yes, the feds to bust an occasional board, usually a big one.  It is
not quite often you see a 1 node board get busted unless something happened
through the phone company.  Even rarer is a user getting busted.  The reason
for this is that the feds go after the big guys.  The don't care about little
Bobbie who pirated Ultima 8.  They want the real guys. That is where the money
is.  You don't actually think they would waste their time and money trying to
bust some 14 year old kid who runs a elite board.  The are trying to get the 
ones that have been in the business for a while and are big time piraters.  
This mainly includes the people who make profits off their board, this is 
where the problem comes in.  Making profits off pirated software is what WILL
get you nailed.

        As to the rumor that there are feds in the scene... the answer is YES.
The federal government employs people to call boards, get info on them, and 
try to make a bust.  It is not uncommon to see a chain reaction.  If the feds
get the board before the sysop has any time to delete anything, the feds will
have the records of all the users, boards, and private information.  On 
occasion they have gone after the users as well.  The best bet for sysop's who
are concerned with this is to keep up on the local busts, the blacklists and
be strict on their NUV.  Feds can lie.  Be careful of new users who being to 
ask a lot of questions, and if you suspect someone of being involved with the 
Feds its better to purge him, then to pay later.

        Sometimes lame users threaten to tell the cops on an elite board.  
This does happen.  The cops can't do a thing until THEY obtain information.  
The information given to them from the lamer doesn't to shit for their case.
The best bet is to have a PD conference which you could restrict the cops to
if they ask to call.  

        Often times, you will hear rumors that a elite board is a fed site.  
All of this is untrue.  If it is an establised board then there is nothing 
to be concerned about.

        It all comes down to that the feds don't have the time nor the man 
power to go after everyone.  There are to many boards, and it isn't worth 
their time to go after them.  Although, occasionally a console company may
pursue a bust, as with the TDT WHQ.

        Join the active revolt against the government today.