back in the day, using a bbs was grounds for a wiretap. (The fact bbs were full of phreakers had absolutely nothing to do with it im sure....)

so they sit, they listen, then do what exactly?

Someone has to read through the material, decipher it, translate it, interpret it. and how exactly do you act on it?

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3A_VT9YGA10