Fraud/Scam-Beware

**dss** · 03-13-2012, 05:59 PM

As a techie and pretty careful with my phones and the phones that I test, I was scammed last night.

I used a software called battery calibration (and has been for a long time) and a message popped up last night and asked if I wanted to upgrade to battery super charger. I replied yes and it downloaded the program.
Immediately upon answering yes, a text message came up from 00099922 with a phone number 888-878-5912 and as below

Tekttrip by texts 4 me subscription. 1 alert $4/month. Reply Yes to confirm.
It send an auto yes (using the yes from the question if I wanted to upgrade to the battery super charger).

I send an immediate STOP to stop the subscription immediately. Obviously and I am sure they will charge me at least $4 for that.....

Beware of this new scam.

**gainexp** · 03-13-2012, 06:04 PM

Yes, it's a scam. I had a run in with Bell. These "scam" may use your number and add it to a bank, and using your "yes" they may send you short code messages from others so you may get more than just that one. Takes a lot of fighting on our end to get them all to stop. Don't know how easy it would be to deal with Wind with their poor CS and all. For Bell, I had to fight 2-3 months before all charges were removed.

Sometimes these companies don't even need a yes and they still send you those texts.

**dcorreia** · 03-13-2012, 06:25 PM

I wonder how those work if one does not have enough funds in their prepaid account.

**sable** · 03-14-2012, 06:52 AM

And it is amazing to see that FCC and CRTC don't make this type of scam illegal, and the couriers are so cooperative to deposit the money to the scammers' accounts.

I hope Wind's post paid plan adopt Mobi's Wallet system.

**gaia10239** · 03-14-2012, 08:21 AM

What is the name of the app? I'm assuming Android?

Sent from my SGH-T959 using HowardForums

**hardy83** · 03-14-2012, 09:15 AM

Originally Posted by sable

And it is amazing to see that FCC and CRTC don't make this type of scam illegal, and the couriers are so cooperative to deposit the money to the scammers' accounts.

I hope Wind's post paid plan adopt Mobi's Wallet system.

Depending where the scam comes from, it may be out of their jurisdiction, but yes, they are pretty slow to deal with these issues.

**dss** · 03-14-2012, 09:25 AM

This scam is in our own backyard located at consumers road.
Texts 4 Me | 251 Consumers Road | Toronto M2J 4R3 | Canada

The code I gave earlier was missing the 2 should have posted as 99922 instead of 9992

The site to the scam is as below
http://texts-4-me.com/

I used a program called battery calibration which is a legit program that have been around for a long time.
But it pop up a question if I wanted to update to battery super charger.

At this point,I do not see charges in my account, but when it comes I will have to deal with it.

I do not see CRTC doing anything. They do not care.....never has because this is one scam that has gone on forever.....

**droidhacker** · 03-14-2012, 09:49 AM

These scams *are* illegal. Its called FRAUD.

In addition, at no point did you ever authorize cell service provider to hand any money over to SMS scammers, therefore they are obligated to refund every penny charged to your account, whether you clicked "yes" or not.

**sable** · 03-14-2012, 10:19 AM

Originally Posted by hardy83

Depending where the scam comes from, it may be out of their jurisdiction, but yes, they are pretty slow to deal with these issues.

CRTC can force Canadian carriers to deny the "service" or at least make it more difficult to subsribe to the "service" instead of simply replying an SMS.

**shirsc2** · 04-25-2012, 03:34 PM

Yes these scams are prevalent in many apps today. You should always check what permissions an app is asking for. In this scenario, a battery calibration tool shouldn't need Send SMS permissions. If an app is asking for questionable permissions, don't download it.

**will888** · 04-25-2012, 09:36 PM

Install this app and most if not all ads disappear. Only worked on rooted phones. It is just a version of what can be done on a pc as well.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...d.adfree&hl=en

http://winhelp2002.mvps.org/hosts.htm

**SharpieFiend** · 04-25-2012, 09:52 PM

LOL - welcome to the wild west that is Android. It sucks that you got scammed like this, but it can easily happen to anyone. I double and triple check anything that I put on my Android tablet and sometimes wonder what I would do if it contained a phone module. While I often consider an Android phone, things like this make me think twice and make me appreciate the safeguards that RIM puts in place for its users.

**SharpieFiend** · 04-25-2012, 09:52 PM

Originally Posted by will888

Install this app and most if not all ads disappear. Only worked on rooted phones. It is just a version of what can be done on a pc as well.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...d.adfree&hl=en

http://winhelp2002.mvps.org/hosts.htm

I have that on my tablet - it's a great app.

**sonnysekhon** · 04-25-2012, 11:17 PM

Avoiding situations like this alone is a reason enough to root your phone.

Our privacy is vulnerable as soon as we sign in to an Android phone with a Google account (their entire business is based on ads and playing with the boundaries of the exploitation of our privacy).

Hence, we must be vigilant.

As already suggested Ad-Free is a great program.

Here's a better one that gets updated quite often:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...?id=org.adaway

Here's one that trumps them all and is the most useful and criminally underrated app for root users:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...JpdHkubGl0ZSJd

Use it to deny unwelcome permissions to all apps.

No reason for 'Battery Calibration' to have access to Wifi and Mobile data other than to display ads and generate revenue.

Use this to disable ads, or any network communication for that matter, in all games and enjoy them clutter free.

If you're apprehensive about disabling anything, simply install it and monitor the permissions' event log. You'll be shocked to see how frequently some apps access your personal info.

Hope this helps.

Sonny

**will888** · 04-26-2012, 12:14 AM

Originally Posted by sonnysekhon

Avoiding situations like this alone is a reason enough to root your phone.

Our privacy is vulnerable as soon as we sign in to an Android phone with a Google account (their entire business is based on ads and playing with the boundaries of the exploitation of our privacy).

Hence, we must be vigilant.

As already suggested Ad-Free is a great program.

Here's a better one that gets updated quite often:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...?id=org.adaway

Here's one that trumps them all and is the most useful and criminally underrated app for root users:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/d...JpdHkubGl0ZSJd

Use it to deny unwelcome permissions to all apps.

No reason for 'Battery Calibration' to have access to Wifi and Mobile data other than to display ads and generate revenue.

Use this to disable ads, or any network communication for that matter, in all games and enjoy them clutter free.

If you're apprehensive about disabling anything, simply install it and monitor the permissions' event log. You'll be shocked to see how frequently some apps access your personal info.

Hope this helps.

Sonny

Adfree updates pretty regularly. I chose adfree due to higher usage within the android community. Other than that, there is not much to choose from between the two as the functionality is identical. For app permission management, CM7 rocks! It has built in permission management. I am waiting patiently for PM to show up in CM9. Sometimes the stupid apps will crash if you mess with PM. Many are probably designed to just not run if the user messes with any of the permissions.