Harris Corp based out of Florida is the company that makes the surveillance device called a stingray. They are also called cell-site simulators and IMSI catchers. They're illegal to use unless you work for a Federal Agency and they are really expensive, prices range from $50,000 to $500,000 if you include all the bells and whistles! Surprisingly, only a few states require a warrant for their use and there is no federal law that regulates them.

Depending on the make and model, stingrays may be used just to track cell phone locations, or they may also intercept real-time phone calls, they can read live outgoing and incoming text messages or jam nearby cell phone signals so you can't make or receive phone calls.

When a police department purchases one of these stingrays from the FBI they must sign a nondisclosure agreement and promise the FBI to never admit they even own the device. Which means the police and any other agency that has used this device on a criminal to obtain information or an arrest must drop the case instead of revealing the details of the stingray. That is how guarded these surveillance devices are, even in states where it is legal to use one.

I know from personal experience the power these machines are capable of. Some of the things they can do are similar to a 'man in the middle attack' what it basically does is mimic your cell phone tower tricking your phone into connecting to it, once connected it can take total control of your phone no matter what carrier it is on or even if it is a prepaid burner phone. The capabilities of these things are endless from listening to all of your phone calls to viewing all of your apps and controlling them. It can even upload and download information from and onto your phone. While most people say "I have nothing to hide" that's exactly the mentality the Feds want us to have so they can strip us of our civil rights with no questions asked. It is not about hiding anything, it's about our right to privacy. Yes, these are great for catching criminals but they are also being deployed on millions of civilians a year for no reason whatsoever and I am living proof of it. I will do a follow up post on the few things we can do to protect ourselves against one of these devices.

Below are a few pictures of the police and Feds trying to hide where they put these surveillance devices. Some of these are hidden really well while others are comical to look at, that is once you know what to look for.

As you can see some are disguised in fake cactuses and palm trees!

While others were found in clocktowers and obelisks

Before and After! This one is something else!

Just bringing awareness

sources: https://www.pinterest.com/leaseadvisors/disguised-cell-towers/

https://www.aclu.org/map/stingray-tracking-devices-whos-got-them

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