@deadsilenttruecrime
Saved 2026-05-15 · Posted 2026-01-26 · Status: New
This cereal toy was pulled after people realized it could crack phones and unlock free calls. Nobody warned us. Nobody was ready.
The 2000s were built different.
#ReelsViral #InternetHistory #NostalgiaContent #MindBlown #WeirdFacts #Throwback
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In the 70s, I hacked the phones without a whistle. You could charge long distance calls to your home phone by speaking with an operator. Instead of my home phone, I gave telephone numbers to radio stations and gave names of people who worked there. Sometimes with two phones next to each other, I would charge it to other payphone and the operator would call that phone. I would grab it and change my voice to approve the charge. With my friends, we called people all over the country and even spoke with the Tonight Show staff in California. All thanks to growing up without the Internet. 😂
“You have a collect call from, Imatjudyscomegetme, do you accept the charges?”
Did anyone own this toy? If you did, be honest did you try this? 😂
The roof of my mouth hurts watching this. Remember eating enough cereal to get down to the prize.
We would do a collect call from Lily, our cat to let Mom know we were back at long distance college safe! She would deny the call, but knew we arrived back at our college campus safely!! Ah, the 80s!!😍😍😢
In the 80’s there was another trick. Put a paper clip touching the Phone mic through those little holes and the other end of the paper clip touching the keyhole of the quarters cartridge and you can dial a call for free. It was learned from the Movie War Games with Matthew Broderick
When phones went to push button from dial, you could record the sound of dialing a number on your cassette tape and play it back into your phone and it would call the number because the system worked on tones. Here’s something else: most people don’t know. As soon as you hit the last number in the number you’re calling, you’re connected. The dialing is just alerting the recipient they have a call. If you’re in dispatch and play back recordings of 911 calls you can hear the caller talking while they’re waiting for someone to pick up. Sometimes that would not be good for the caller.
Party lines, does anyone recall party lines!?!?
Let me know if the one for free gas and electric becomes available
I swear man we were so much more creative and maybe even more passionate as a whole pre internet.
To be fair, most things can be hacked with vibes.
That was Captain Crunch. Phone Freaks grew up around him Steve Jobs was one of them. Pretty funny seeing him so young.
Is this real? I just shared this story and realized it could be complete hogwash.
Wait until they find the frequency that opens portals . 🍀
why is the tone so somber?