I had a very disturbing experience last night with some stalker texting me and I am concerned my phone and/or identity have been compromised. Here's what happened.
I have a friend whom I will call Bill Jones (not his real name). He and I text back and forth quite a bit. He texted me last night about something or other, and I texted back. A few minutes later I got a text from a number I didn't recognize that addressed me by my real name, even though almost everyone I know calls me by a nickname, Bill Jones included.
Our texting conversation went something like this:
Stalker: Hey [my real name]. What's up?
Me: Who is this?
Stalker: This is Bill.
Me: Bill who?
Stalker: Bill Jones. I want to tell you something, [my nickname].
Me: Is everything ok?
Stalker: Sort of, but I want to tell you something and I'm not sure how you will take it. LOL.
Me: Why are you calling me [my real name] and using a different number? [Note: The real Bill never calls me by my real name.]
Stalker: I got a new number but I wanted to say that I am attracted to you a lot...
Now, this is something that Bill would never say and I know immediately that this is an impostor. At this point I called the number I was receiving the texts from, and after one or two rings I heard a beep sound like the beep you hear when a voicemail starts recording, and then silence. I asked who was there and got no answer, and after several seconds I heard a computer-generated female voice say, "You can hang up now" and the line went dead.
I continued to text the stalker after this, and they continued to say they were "attracted" to me but were embarrassed to talk on the phone. I tried repeatedly to tell them to call me, but they wouldn't. Then I told them I wanted to meet them in person, and they tried to ask me where I was, but I wouldn't tell them. They wouldn't tell them where they were either. Finally they said they were going to bed and stopped responding.
I called that phone number repeatedly for the next 30-40 minutes, and each time I called I would get the same thing: a varying number of rings before they picked up, and then the voicemail-type beep, and after several seconds of silence the computer-generated female voice saying, "You can hang up now" and then the line goes dead.
I did a search for the number on Spokeo.com, and, even though they claimed they had full records on the owner of the number, after I paid the two dollars it said they didn't know anything about that number.
I spoke to Verizon, and they said no one had tried to access my account. They suggested I install and run a spyware detection app, which I did, and it didn't find any spyware except that it flagged Call Control and Handcent as being suspicious, but I'm sure they're not.
I have no third-party apps on my phone. All my apps are from the Google Play Store.
I believe that someone would need to have physical access to a phone to install spyware on it, and no one besides me has ever had physical access to my phone, and Bill Jones told me no one else has ever touched his phone either.
All of this happened at a friend's house, and when I drove home I pulled into my driveway, but then I realized I had my GPS on so I got back on the road and drove to the next town, where I pulled over in a subdivision, turned off GPS and mobile data, cutting off the trail, and then drove home. My phone is connected to my home wifi, but I use a VPN with encryption so I feel fairly safe that no one can get through that.
I suppose it is theoretically possible that this is some bizarre prank played by someone who knows both me and Bill Jones, but please take my word for it that no one I know pull a stunt like that.
It really bothers me that some stranger knows the following:
* My number.
* My nickname.
* My real name.
* The fact that I am friends with Bill Jones.
* Given the fact that they started texting me right when I texted Bill Jones makes me wonder if they can read my texts in real time.
I very much want to know what else they know about me and how they obtained this information and what I can do to protect myself. Please help me. I haven't been able to find a similar case by searching Google, so I'm really lost here. Thanks for your help people! If you need any more information please just ask and I'll be happy to tell you.
I run a Samsung Galaxy S4 running Android 4.3. Oh yeah, earlier that day I had installed CBS Sports app and iHeartRadio.
MITM
What you experianced could be the result of a "Man-In-the-Middle" attack... The whole idea of the attack is to see the messages in transit and get the identifying key from them (your phone number) then manipulate the orriginal messages with both users never knowing the manipulation. This can simply done by monitoring the connection... If your phone sends over Wi-Fi someone can easily see anything with a laptop near by... So if you sent messages from a public place and the "stalker" collected your ip-address from your phone it can be done remotely if even one of you is connected to a Wi-Fi signal regardless if you "think" your using it....
InfamusOne said:
What you experianced could be the result of a "Man-In-the-Middle" attack... The whole idea of the attack is to see the messages in transit and get the identifying key from them (your phone number) then manipulate the orriginal messages with both users never knowing the manipulation. This can simply done by monitoring the connection... If your phone sends over Wi-Fi someone can easily see anything with a laptop near by... So if you sent messages from a public place and the "stalker" collected your ip-address from your phone it can be done remotely if even one of you is connected to a Wi-Fi signal regardless if you "think" your using it....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Interesting. How would such an attack allow them to discover both my nickname and real name and also the name of my friend? And should I be concerned about them stealing any other information from my phone such as passwords, financial information, credit card numbers, etc.?
Is there any other possibility for what could be happening?
By the way, no, my phone doesn't send calls or texts over wifi. Besides, as I said, I use the privateinternetaccess.com VPN which gives my phone a fake IP address and encrypts all my internet data.
Related
I've been having a problem with my Fuze randomly not being able to receive text messages or calls.
Sometimes when people call, they say it rings twice and goes to voice mail. All the while, I never hear anything or get a notification. This happened once after I texted someone to call me when they get a chance. They tried 3 times and then texted me back to say that they were getting sent to voice mail. I didn't get notification for either until after I called this person myself 20 minutes later. Right when the call connected, I got notification of a new text message.
Another time, somebody was calling me for 3 days. I didn't know he was trying to reach me until he finally left a voice mail and I got the notification for that (no missed call notifications).
I called AT&T and their tech support did some tests (called my phone) but since it isn't reproducible 100% of the time, they couldn't offer any explanation.
This isn't a bars/signal issue either as this is occurring in the same spot where my Tilt would always receive calls fine.
Has anyone else seen this?
I had the exact same problem with my Sprint Touch Pro & ended my contract early & switched to at&t. Hopefully it's not a fundamental hardware problem.
8notime said:
I had the exact same problem with my Sprint Touch Pro & ended my contract early & switched to at&t. Hopefully it's not a fundamental hardware problem.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did you get a Fuze when you switched? Has that worked better for you? I'm still within my 30 days, so I'm debating exchanging it or just returning it and giving up.
I'm having the same problem. I did a quick search and found this;
This AT&T Forum Post
I tried the workaround and haven't had a chance to really test it yet though. I also noticed a few other settings in there that might have accounted for it.
One selection inside the phone settings had to do with whether calls went to voicemail when you're "Unavailable" or "Busy." I'm not familiar enough with the phone to know when it might tag me as either one so I unchecked both and I'm going to recreate my missed calls this morning.
Someone called after the phone had been sitting on my desk all night so I thought maybe it thought I was "Unavailable" due to inactivity (I dunno, I'm winging it) so I'm letting it idle for a few hours and getting a call later to see what happens.
Incidentally I have the exact same problem, no call coming in, but then I get the voicemail message after I try calling someone.
Unless I'm misunderstanding your point, "Unavailable" just means that your phone is switched off or out of signal, and "Busy" means you are already in a call. It's nothing to do with the behaviour or features of the phone.
Cheers,
Steve.
Yeah, I'm wondering if the phone is becoming "Unavailable" for some other reason than me being out of range. I have full bars in the house and that's where this all happened.
I've noticed, too, that I didn't get any email (I have it set to check every hour, even hit send/receive after someone told me they sent me something and it still didn't find it until I sent a second email to myself from another address)
Again, I don't know much about phones but it almost seems like the phone has bars but drops off the network for accepting calls/messages until you do something to activate the system again... or something. I dunno, just speculating.
Last week I went in and exchanged my Fuze for a new one since it was still within the 30 days. Up until tonight, I thought the problem was fixed. I was chatting with my wife over IM and she told me that she tried to call but that it just went to voicemail. I asked her to call back and leave a voicemail to see if it would notify me. I also asked her to send me a text. I didn't get notification for either. I checked my data connection by starting up Opera and going to a few sites. So I know that I had a verifiable connection to the network. I called my voicemail and checked the message I knew that she had left. Only after I made the call did I get notifications for the text messages I had missed. I never got any notification for the voicemail or missed calls.
Unfortunately, it seems this is a problem that isn't related to individual hardware as this is my 2nd phone with the same problem. I've also replaced my SIM card since a salesperson at an AT&T store suggested that it might help. I'm running the stock AT&T ROM minus the bloat, so it's not a custom ROM issue either. At this point, I'm not sure what I should do.
The only other thing I can think of that makes me unique is that I currently reside in Washington state but my number is one that I had ported from California. Is there anything about you're (skyau) situation that makes you unique?
Well the same thing happened again tonight. I received text messages 10 minutes late and I didn't get a voicemail notification until I initiated a call. As much as this sucks, I'm hoping it will stay this consistent so that I can have tech support replicate the problem and then try and fix it.
You may have a problem with your phone number. I'd try changing it.
Have you had experience with a problem like this? Is the phone number really the issue?
If that's what the problem actually is, I'm willing to get a new number. But I don't want to change it just to check and see if that fixes it.
same problem! Really pissing me off I just lost a important job because of this issue a few moments ago! Is everyone running a stock rom? I tested a few, now back to stock no apps nothing trying to find this gremlin WTF!
I'm running stock ROM without the bloat.
I exchanged my Fuze (I'm now on my 3rd) on Saturday and changed my phone number yesterday. I'm waiting to see if the issue happens again. If it does, I'll probably do stock ROM, all the bloat, no apps. If there are still problems, I'll probably try different ROMs.
I was able to get AT&T tech support on the line when the problem was occurring luckily. We went through his battery of tests and he verified that there was a problem. It would seem that the phone forgets/loses it's connection to the towers/network. Notifications (calls, texts, voicemails) aren't received until after the phone remembers/reconnects to the network. It remembers/reconnects when you initiate a call or send a text (essentially require the phone to use the network).
The tech told me that as far as he could tell, it was a hardware issue and that I should exchange my phone. So I'm on number 3 now and hoping for the best. I changed my number because I've been in a different state for 2 years and I had no ties to previous area code. So I figured now was as good a time as any to get a full fresh start (phone/number/SIM).
That sucks about losing the job.
Bump, I just realized a few moments ago that my phone rings once and then it says missed call, i always assumed they called me and then hung up after one ring in case i was in class or i was busy so that i could call them back. this is not the case? Also a few cases a call will drop every now a then... is this due to the radio rom i flashed? typical symptoms of a incompatible radio for a specific location? I'm using the .25.35 blackstone radio in ithaca, ny.
Having the same issue. Phone is asleep, then alerts me to a VM. Missed call doesn't show up in missed call list.
Really pissing me off and I think is responsible for my issues with Slide2Answer somehow.
The only time I have missed calls is because of MSVC. If someone calls and it is private or unknown, it will not ring. If it is somebody in my phone book or who doesn't have a private number, the phone will ring.
So I turned MSVC off and the private callers and the unknown callers will ring in.
it happens to me sometimes as well sometimes the d pad area will flash but i cant answer and it wont appear on screen then it wont say missed call.
sometimes if i try to hit the dial button it will also drop connection and instantly pick it up again
annoying but not a huge problem for me
and of course not on stock rom
Has Microsoft (or anyone else, for that matter) ever published a book, whitepaper, or anything else that actually explains how the various components of WM5/6 actually "work" in a real PDA phone?
I've seen various scattered documents at MSDN that tell how to write applications for phones running WM5/6, but I've never been able to find anything that coherently explains how a PDA phone running WM5/6 actually HANDLES incoming/outgoing phone calls -- the apps and DLLs involved, points where you can wedge your own handlers into the event chain, etc.
I guess what I'm really looking for right now is some guidance about where to even LOOK for that info... the official library/object name(s), the proper phrases to google for, etc. I have a hunch that what I'm looking for is NOT in the MSDN documentation tree for WM6 Professional PDA Phones, and is hidden somewhere else in the hierarchy... but finding anything at MSDN feels like searching for a needle in a haystack unless you already know exactly what you're looking for and what it's officially called ;-)
For what it's worth, I want to write my own replacement handler(s) for voicemail notifications. I can't stand the way WM6 stupidly makes me swat away the notification that I have voicemail, and decline to listen to it, then swat away a second notification that I have a missed call before FINALLY letting me know whose call I missed (and by extension, who left the voicemail message). I want to write a handler that shows something like:
Missed Calls:
Joe Smith @ 3 minutes ago (italics = left voicemail)
Jenna Ho @ 2:27am
Matt Johnson @ yesterday 11:52pm
Matt Johnson @ yesterday 10:23PM
on the screen instead.
Also, I use my cell phone as my "real" phone, and have an AT&T cordless phone that pairs with it via bluetooth. Unfortunately, it doesn't notify me of voicemail or received SMS messages, and I can easily go for HOURS without noticing (say, if I'm outside when someone calls, and they leave a voicemail message... until I physically happen to wake up the phone and look at the display, I'll never even know someone called). So... I want to build a circuit using a BlueSMIRF bluetooth-uart module and a microcontroller that toggles an input on my home automation/burglar alarm system (triggering a voice announcement over the loudspeakers), and have my handler app on the phone connect to it and trigger that notification every few minutes until I notice. I also wouldn't mind being able to make the phone go crazy vibrating in response to a received sms/voicemail message, so if I'm somewhere like a noisy nightclub wearing loose jeans and don't notice, it will keep vibrating and making noise until I do.
I'm new to this messaging arena, so my question may have an obvious answer. I get some messages at times, that I have no idea who they are from. They have no name associated to them, but have some number listed above them, that is almost long enough, to be a phone number, but not quite. Hows do you tell, just who is texting you?
Yesterday, I got a text, saying my address had been updated, to one in Los Angeles. I looked at, and figured it was some idiot, who sent it to the wrong person. I have not been to LA in about 30 years, and live where I always have, some 2,000 miles from there. So, it's obviously a bad text. But, how do you determine, just who it is, that has sent you a text, if they don't identify themselves? And just what do the set of numbers associated about the text, mean?
As I said, the answer may be an obvious one, but I don't know it. Can someone please explain this to me? Thanks.
are the numbers 5 digits?
Sometimes you'll get a text from your carrier (sprint, verizon, etc) that will match the description your getting. I've also seen spam texts come to my phone as well. With text messages, if its coming from another phone, it will almost always include the area code so the number you see will be 10 digits.
Maybe spam? it's bad to post your number online i learned my lesson with emails.
The numbers I speak of, are either 8 or 9, not the 10 needed for a phone number. AT&T unfortunately is who I was stupid to choose instead on Verizon. Where I live, Verizon has 3G that works, but AT&T only has 2G, which takes 4 or 5 minutes, to connect to, using EDGE. IF YOU CAN EVEN CONNECT. Paying to have your own WIFI, is the only way I can use my Captivate, on the web. But with a couple of text messages from AT&T, they identify themselves. The text message I asked about, was saying my address was now switched to Los Angeles. It gives a zip, but no name or clue, on who it is. I may have got out of whack by it, but I texted them back, and saud THANKS. BUT WHO THE HELL ARE YOU? No response back, but it may very well be a fishing attempt, to see if anyone answered back. I noticed when I turned my Captivate on last night, there was an odd looking icon in the tool bar at the top of the phone. I open the screen to see what it was, and it was an offer to MEET SEXY WOMEN AROUND WHERE I LIVE. Never had that one before, and it may be tied in to my getting, and texting back, that change of address text. But the numbers I speak of, are at the very top of the message, and like I said, those I don't understand, are 8 or 9, not 10, so it can't be phone numbers. But, what are they?
Okay. I learned from an AT&T Techster, that the numbers associated with SMS TEXT, are called SHORT CODE, for 4 to 6 numbers, and LONG CODE, for more numbers. This id's the textster, in much the same way, that your IP address, ID's you, while on line. I gave him the 9 digit number, that was associated with my spam text, but he was unable to ID just who, or what, had texted the spam to me. He said that AT&T had a software program, that allowed them to search for the id's of texting spammers, but this was a paid for version. He said he was sure there was personal versions, some free, that people who own a cell phone, can use to try and id those texting them. He was unable, to give me names of software, and so far, I haven't found personal software, either for my computer, or my Captivate. I realized, that maybe for the Captivate, someone in this forum, would have a suggestion. It's like the CALLER ID, of landline phones, and might be able to id, just who is trashing, or spamming you. Any ideas, on SHORT or LONG CODE software one could install?
This may be totally irrelevant to the thread, not sure where else to put it.
It started on 3/11/14, I got a phone call from an 813-408-???? number. A boston sounding man pretending to be from a local pizza joint, saying I ordered 3 pizzas and my card I gave was declined and needed a new card. I figured it was a scam to take my info because I (and no one in my household) had ever ordered from this place). The man sounded scripted, pre-recorded or perhaps a mobile app just messing with me. Anytime I spoke, his speaking stopped and it/he wouldn't answer me when I spoke. I hung up, after a few minutes, I called back. I didn't get an answer both times I called back, just a man's voicemail for his home business.
Later, I got a call from another 813-408-???? number, but different from the first. It was a man claiming I was messaging his girlfriend on Facebook. His responses also sounded scripted or like recordings from an app. I assumed it was another prank, so I said little and hungup. I immediately called the number back and the man sounded confused and swore he didn't call me.
I thought these calls were weird because my number is also an 813-408-????.
Later in the same day, I was playing xbox with a friend of mine. My phone rang from his number, but he swore he wasn't calling me. Just after that, his phone rang from my number, but my phone wasn't calling him.
The next day, 03/12/14, I got a call from the same friend. The phone showed his name and correct number (i have it memorized). I answered and it was a female voice, claiming I was talking to her boyfriend on Facebook. Her voice ALSO seeming scripted or recorded. My buddy wasn't even near his phone, he was playing softball and swore he wasn't doing anything.
Not sure what I need to do to get this to stop. Don't know if changing my number will help or not and would prefer not to do that.
If it matters: I am running Cyanogenmod 11, up-to-date nightly's. I've been on Cyanogenmod as long as it's been available for the Nexus 5. It's a black 16GB US model and i'm on AT&T. I've never had anything like this happen before.
Faster version: I got a weird call from an unknown number from a recording or app. A second weird call from a different number comes in, same weird recording conversation and scripting. Illegitimate calls to and from my phone occur. Illegitimate call from a friend's phone that he didn't send. I have no problem sending or receiving calls or texts, nothing else seems to be off. I'm on CM11 3/12/14 nightly.
Any ideas?
Do you have a common friend between you and your other friends? Somebody is messing with you. And must be close enough to know y'all numbers. It's very easy to spoof a number to make it seem like somebody else is calling.
Also take note that many area codes like 419 817 737 ect....will get all your info within 3 secs if its a hacker lol. There's a huge list online just Google it. Hope that helps out. If not then get Mr. Number. You can block all numbers and voicemails texts.....except your contacts list
Sent from my Nexus 5 using XDA Premium 4 mobile app
I'm betting someone is playing a real crappy prank on you. A friend of mine showed me this app one time that would allow you to enter any "from" number of your choosing with a pre-recorded prank attached. Basically the app would prank call whoever you chose with the fake or made up number showing up in the caller ID. When the call comes in, it sounds super convincing, down to the voice of the guy who's threatening to kick your butt for messing with his girlfriend. What you don't know, is that app is also recording your voice responses so whoever is pranking you gets to hear a recording of the entire call, similar to a phone prank done by a radio station. I would just listen for the familiar details and just hang up when you realize its the prankster. They'll give up eventually and if they know you will probably come clean at some point.
It's not a prank. It's scammy phishing robo-calls. I get them infrequently. Typically the "you have won a free cruise" baloney. However the pizza call is another known angle. For me it's usually one of 3 numbers. A 1 877 number, a random US number and a number that is almost identical to my own phone number.
Just get a blocking app or don't answer the call if you don't recognise the number. If it is a valid call, the caller will leave you a voicemail detailing why they were legitimately calling you in the first place. The robocall will just disconnect once it hits your voicemail.
Sorry, I should update that the above was in regards to the pizza call. The Facebook call is a prank - just search "Don't Message My Girlfriend".
I'm in the UK but when I Skype my wife in LA its a local LA number. Freaked her first time. You got no idea where calls come from these days. I use a call block. Robot call centers after ambulance chasing buisness etc are big here. Not your phone, or rom and don't let it rent space in your head. Block n move on
Sent by mobile telephone.
If it's anything like the uk if you read the small print of your contact (especially if it's like a retail shop - carphone warehouse, phones4u etc over here) it actually says we will give your number out to these annoying marketing company's and there's nothing you can do about it if you want the contract!! (which is why their contacts are normally better than direct from the provider)
Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
Well, I can tell the calls I received were all similar sounding in their responses, so I did hang up. I figured it was a prank app or something along those lines. I just ended up hanging up the call. I can block the numbers I have gotten, I'm just getting a lot of them.
I guess I just have to rely on a voicemail from a legitimate caller.
Thanks for all the insight.
I received a call while I was working, I could not answer. I could not answer because I was busy working. I didnt want to answer because I did not know the number. Not being able to answer, the caller left a voicemail. Which turned out to be a blessing in disguise because Im still able to listen to it via voicemail. If I were to have answered I would have thought someone butt dialed me and thought nothing of it and hung up. But after listening to it, I realized that it was my voice and hers.
At first I thought maybe my girlfriends apartment was bugged for whatever reason. The people shes renting from are very reputable. So we went and checked everywhere. Nothing. However, I thought to myself how would they get MY phone number if it is not affiliated in any way to her apartment or where she lives.
So that leads me to think that something may be on my phone. I have since factory reset my phone. The crazy thing about this whole situation is that the conversation that was recorded was from TWO DAYS ago. Who has my number? How are they able to record me? Do I just wait to see if I receive another call? I wont be putting any sensitive information on the device for fear of it being compromised. If I do get another call, Ive already decided Im destroying this one and buying another phone.
I never opened any weird emails. Never downloaded any weird apps. Never opened any links in any received texts. Im on Android 10 on a One Plus 7.
Any input would be greatly appreciated.
here's a possibility - you and your girlfriend were talking and then you butt-dialed someone and it went to their voicemail. That person decided to call you and playback the voicemail. Look in your call log for an outgoing call that you don't recognise at the time of your conversation with your gf.
lightstream said:
here's a possibility - you and your girlfriend were talking and then you butt-dialed someone and it went to their voicemail. That person decided to call you and playback the voicemail. Look in your call log for an outgoing call that you don't recognise at the time of your conversation with your gf.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I hadnt thought of that, I checked the records, and there was no butt dial. I called the number that called me and it said it was no longer in service. Looking at the records on my cell providers site and there was no record of that number ever calling me. Which leads me to believe it was spoofed.