"Erosion of freedoms in the USA sickens me. I am surprised to see you, one of the most lucid posters on FR, as a supporter."
You shouldn't be surprised. I am a rational man. I think about things. What I cannot figure out is why someone would buy 100 prepaid cell phones at retail prices. Obviously, there's no profit to be made from them, since you can buy the things everywhere for the same low price.
There may be folks who need 100 prepaid cell phones, but they are in business, and can arrange to buy them wholesale.
Ten prepaid cell phones makes some sense. 100 doesn't.
That's the suspicious part. Also, knowing that cell phones are used by terrorists for many purposes, including fairly secure communications and even for detonating explosives, makes me even more suspicious.
It's possible that someone doing this has good intentions. It's more likely that he or she does not have good intentions.
Reason dictates that such a purchase is suspicious and that it may well indicate a crime in the making. Therefore, I conclude that I should notify law enforcement of this.
It's the same reason I would call the cops if a group of 10 or 12 people were walking down my street at night slowly, looking at people's houses. Yes, what they are doing is quite legal. It's also quite suspicious. So, I'd call the cops and report that suspicious activity. They'd respond by sending a unit out to check these people out.
You have the right to buy 100 phones, or 1000, if you like. No question about it. I have the right to consider that a suspicious thing and to reason that there may be a crime in the making.
I'll leave it to others to make the actual determination, after investigating.
You see...it's not A "friggin cell phone." It's 100 cell phones. You tell me a legitimate reason to buy 100 of them at retail in a small town Walmart.
A boss wants to give his employees a gift.
I used to be connnected to a large family. 100 people were often in attendance at family gatherings, and host gifts in this dollar range were not uncommon. If it were my turn, I'd definitely go wholesale, like you.
Anyway, why would I have to explain a legal purchase of a legal item.
Besides, programming a prepaid requires either a computer to do over the internet (IP traceable) or via landline (number traceable). It sure would not be as hard to track these phones as many make it seem. If I were up to something nefarious, I would make a bulk purchase through a regular provideer using an assumed name/ID, etc. It's less traceable that way imho.
Great summary and well put.