Optional phone service helps catch criminals
Bell Atlantic's star 57 service helps direct local police to perpetrators

By SHELLEY VICKERS
Collegian Staff Writer

After losing his wallet at the Gingerbread Man one night, Brian Mummert did not think it odd that a bouncer called, told him it was recovered and asked him to describe it.

But when the caller assured Mummert (junior-horticulture) that it was standard procedure to give his social security number and mother's maiden name, Mummert said he started to get suspicious.

When the "bouncer" asked if he had canceled any credit cards yet, Mummert said he decided to go back to the Gingerbread Man, 130 Hiester St., and talk to him in person.

"They didn't have my wallet and hadn't even called me," Mummert said, "so I called the police."

The police directed him to dial star 57, an optional service offered to Bell Atlantic customers. Star 57, or call trace, records the number of the last call a customer received and reports it to Bell Atlantic. The customer is then given an 800 number to give to the police.

"Bell won't give the information to just anyone," said Lt. Carmine Prestia of the State College Police Department. He said the police or another authority must contact Bell Atlantic.

A State College police officer called the number for Mummert and obtained the offender's phone number and address. The wallet was recovered and Mummert picked it up from the police station.

"It came out a happy ending, but I just think it's disgusting that this kid would take advantage of someone like he did," Mummert said.

Unlike the more familiar return call, or star 69, call trace allows the customer to receive concrete information about a caller without the caller's knowledge, a Bell Atlantic Service Solutions Center Operator said. It aids in situations like Mummert's and also in cases of communications harassment --such as prank calling, she added.

"I would use it, definitely, if I got harassing phone calls," said Kim Williams (junior-administration of justice), who has friends that were victims of repeated prank calls.

And Nicole Zozzaro agreed that call-tracing services add extra protection for students.

"I think that knowing call trace is in existence and people could use it might deter prankers from making the call," said Zozzaro (senior-elementary education).

But call trace is not free. There is a $1 charge per use that shows on the customer's monthly phone bill. This service is not available to students who live on-campus.

Jeff Kuhns, director of voice service and administrative support at the Office of Telecommunications, said if on-campus students find a demand for this service, they will look into it.

If a student living on campus has a problem with communications harassment, University Police Services should be contacted, and they will take care of the problem, Kuhns said.