Hey XDA!! I came here because I know you're quick to deliver the help. I'm not sure if this should go in Q&A or the Development section, and you'll see why in a bit.
A friend of mine (we’ll call him M for ease) recently came to me with a concern. His coworker's ex-boyfriend has been hassling and harassing her using her Android phone. **BEFORE I go any further, YES I have suggested that the proper authorities get contacted.** At first he was allegedly sending texts to MY friend via the girl’s phone. He had some forwarding/spy type app (that’s all I could figure out from some research) on her phone that would allow him to text it, and then those messages would forward to M as if they came from his coworker. I have no idea how he could have done that, and I couldn’t find a lot of apps in the play store that seemed to have similar functions.
But now, he is apparently trying to get the poor girl to install a GPS tracker on her phone (unwittingly, I assume) so he can, well, know where she is. M can’t tell me the name of this app because he’s unsure.
So at this point I’m thinking that we not only have someone who’s being evil, but who is *maybe* making his own apps to stalk and get this girl, and my friend, in trouble at work.
I found a GPS spoofer on the play store https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.lexa.fakegps&hl=en I have offered to help root phones and install this and do whatever is necessary to get this guy off their backs. I can test it all day long since I have a rooted device—my question is, I don’t have a spy app to spoof, nor do I know what exactly I’m trying to spoof, so how do I know this will be helpful?
I’m also considering finding a custom ROM and helping this girl lock her phone down more. Or telling her to call her carrier and change her number. Beyond that, does XDA have any suggestions or advice? I’m not a coder, but I can follow directions to change things if you tell me exactly where to go and what to change (i have dabbled a teensy bit in android source code before breaking my phone >_>)
The girl has a Samsung Dart, I’m currently unsure of the version of Android it’s running, but should find out soon and will edit the post.
Thanks for all the help!
You can format the phone and see if that works. Plus there are many text blocker apps on market.
Hope i helped .
Sent from my GT-S5360 using xda app-developers app
Yes ,I patiently read the entire story! Wipe the phones data !
As far as the text problem you said I don't think there is anything like that which could receive an sms from a number and then forward it to another number. So there are two options either the girl sent the text or the guy semt the text with a spoof number!
And as far as the GPS is concerned, one doesn't need a GPS tracker to know where one is! Just Google maps is enough if the guy has the girls mail in his contacts. Ask her to change the mail id it should be enough!
Sent from my GT-P3100 using Tapatalk 2
Related
Last week on a business trip to Rome, my XDA got stolen..
Offcourse I had it blocked as soon as possible and have password protection on it, but resetting it would make it usable for anyone.
If anyone sees a secondhand XDA for sale from Italy (where they are not sold) please remember me....
IMEI: 350312010049224
S/N : HT220CC15367
P/N : 99HJ00007-00
So... when is this new model XDA comming on the market?!
We thought of a program to stick into ROM which would, after cold-boot, send one SMS to a pre-determined number. Could be a friend's number, or possibly even a web-service, where you can look up all the phone numbers of all SIMs ever in that phone at cold-boot. You could even wait a few days to see if the owner field was ever filled out...
Please go into that, as I will buy an XDA again but feel quite bad about this one stolen and would very much want something to have a little more protection/means of getting it back.
I saw an advertisement on www.thinkgeek.com about a software that would automatically send emails with IP adresses when a stolen laptop is connected to internet.
Something like that could possibly be an option in a theft-recovery program?
Thanks,
Lx
Great idea XDA developer Peter Poelman...you guys should definitly do that!!
XDA developer Peter Poelman, that is one of the best ideas I have heard of!! If there were a server you could register your XDA on, then install the 'tracking' software it would be very cool.
Would it even be possible to get a fix on the location by picking up the nodes that the XDA is near? Effectively your XDA would text you its location, name of the new owner and new number to server where you could pickup the info. Hay-presto, you can inform the provider and authorities and maybe even get it back. I bet you could even sell the software to the providers!!
Gil.
Hold on guys, if you developed such a ROM, it should be clearly stated that it is doing that. I can imagine, if people started offering ROMS, that made unsolicited calls to premium rate numbers, that would be a great, and illegal, business venture.
Anything, that works behind the scenes must be clearly highlighted if trust is to be maintained in a public community
Sounds good though. If i could find all the people that have stolen bits and pieces from me, revenge would be sweet!
I guess that watching out for ROMs that have spy-wearz or nasty apps in the background ARE possible, there could be something about now. Let’s face it the ROM tool is not that hard to understand. And if someone was really that nasty they could make a lot of money in a very short period. After all a premium rate text number has no price cap. But lets not get in to that right now.
The answer to this, like a lot of things in IT is A trust in the developer, B trust that is has not been hackled – as above and C you have noting to hide.
The provider can already see al the calls and text that the sent from your phone. So the only thing for them to see would be your ROM version.
If this was made a voluntary process and secure I can see it doing a lot more good than harm.
Also another though on the spy wear bit, it would be good to have an app that watches the activity on you device and allow you to see it.
Sorry for the rant, Gil.
Oh yeah, we've thought of nasty things one could do. Possibly more scary still: if you have this Action Engine framework, someone holding a private key somewhere can remotely update your ROM, without telling you.
perhaps thats how o2 intended to upgrade in the future?
is it easy to place the AE exe file back onto the xda? its just the one file right?
No, it's a whole bunch of files. They were installed from the operator section of the ROM, though AutoConfig.exe, into device RAM.
I'm not really into the programming stuff, but I was just thinking...
If such a thing was to be implemented, you would not want it to be active until your device actually got lost. So how do you tell your device (that probably has a different SIM card in it) that it should start to broadcast it's location and new SIM information? And where to?
I was thinking of a site where you should register, very securely and only upon activating the 'tracking' program from this secure site that a constantly updated log file of all nodes where the device is connected to a GSM/GPRS network would state the deveice's location.
With this list (and possibly the information of the new SIM card) it should definatly be possible to retrieve the device, with collaboration from the provider/authorities ofcourse.
Also I heard a provider can locate any GSM down to 5meters accuratly when the phone is being used, about 100 meters when the device is on stand-by. Don't know for shure if this is true though.
If things like these could be incorporated, this would be the best software/ROM update ever to be made in my opinion. If there is any way in wich I could be of any help I would gladly be of service!
Two complimentary options would be:
the XDA sends a message to a server whenever the SIM card is changed, unless you enter a particular password first.
Send a specifically crafted sms to the XDA that causes it to realize that it is stolen. This starts it sending location info to the server.
I think you could switch XDA in to stolen mode using a broadcast directly to the PIN on the phone. This is how P2P works in the US instead of SMS. This could be done from a web site and the user of the stolen phone would not know until it was too late.
But then again I may be wrong?
Gil.
this is all good and well, but there will be always someone out there that says this is a privacy thing and they do not want people knowing where they are using their XDA
What should be developed is a Rom that once the owner name has changed, the XDA will then send a message to a server(if the XDA is registered) informing of the new number of the inserted SIM, the IMEI number and all other numbers/contacts straight to your provider. they then contact the new provider for information on the new owner. send the bissies round and reclaim your XDA.
this would be big money to phone service providers as it would reduce the amount of insuance claims and hastle.
if it can be done, then I will be buying it (once i own the XDA !!)
cheets
maybe someone can help me. im used to having a blackberry however i got htc evo 3d today and making or receiving calls is hell. i can't hear anyone.
and evo won't sync my contacts from gmail into the contact address book on the phone.
i am new to this phone so please explain what am i doing wrong and better yet what can i do to improve these before going insane.
thank u
The first thing that I would check is to make sure that your phone actually programmed. Next log into your gmail account online and make sure that your contacts are in my contacts and not other contacts. If they are on your phone, but not in your gmail, then what I would recommend that you do is export the contacts up to the memory card, and then re-import them to the gmail account. They will sync from there. As far as the no sound thing, take it to a full service store and have them check it out. From there, depending on where you got it, you might need to go back to the original place of purchase and have it exchanged.
Sent from my PG86100 using XDA Premium App
If you literally cannot hear anyone, take it to have it swapped out.
If you can hear people but it is very hard to hear try the hearing aids setting, I believe under the call menu in settings.
I did figure out how to get gmail contacts synced. thank god.
The hearing is just very very weak. Ive been reading that this is one major problem with evo 3d and that they haven't fixed the bug yet. Welllll how am I supposed to work on this phone if it sounds like the people im talking to are 100000000 miles away. even speaker is just very weak.
i did hear someone say theres a way to change the voice coding by bypassing through with some msl code. i called sprint and they refused to provide me the code saying that for security purposes they do not provide this code. i take it they dont want their phones unlocked so that we purchase all of their apps. just like the iphone. however i know there are ways to get the code but im not tech savvy and have no idea how to do this.
anyone? with any help i would really appreciate it.
ughhhh its really hard going from a blackberry to an android. every day is a learning experience.
liajana said:
I did figure out how to get gmail contacts synced. thank god.
The hearing is just very very weak. Ive been reading that this is one major problem with evo 3d and that they haven't fixed the bug yet. Welllll how am I supposed to work on this phone if it sounds like the people im talking to are 100000000 miles away. even speaker is just very weak.
i did hear someone say theres a way to change the voice coding by bypassing through with some msl code. i called sprint and they refused to provide me the code saying that for security purposes they do not provide this code. i take it they dont want their phones unlocked so that we purchase all of their apps. just like the iphone. however i know there are ways to get the code but im not tech savvy and have no idea how to do this.
anyone? with any help i would really appreciate it.
ughhhh its really hard going from a blackberry to an android. every day is a learning experience.
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I got no problems with earpice speaker I think is too loud sometimes lol
If you don't have an Evo3d well you don't have an Evo3d
I pretty much always use lowest volume when I'm on the phone.
Sent from my PG86100 using Tapatalk
You can get MSL by downloading the MSL app from the market if you have root.
Sent from my PG86100 using XDA Premium App
im super new to the android system. so i have no idea how to root. if it's not difficult and someone is willing to help me out, i would REALLY appreciate it.
I'd love to help!
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1192525
Your welcome.
Thank u
I will definitely read over the guide this weekend and hopefully won't mess anything up in my phone. :/
So when they say root the phone, is that the same thing as unlocking it so you can download free apps etc?
Thanks
My daughter has a HTC Inspire & recently lost it due to behavior unbecoming for a young lady!! My question is is there a way to gain root access in order to blow out the password file & access the phone or any other trick that wont reset everything? If im being honest, Im scared to death of what I might find but also believe its something that needs to be addressed before something even worse happens! Any of you with daughters know what im talking about.
I guess I could just record a youtube video of me putting a couple rounds in it!
Thanks in advance!
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1357490
this should do it
That looks like a nice program to instal on the device after I get into it but as it stands now the phone is locked & I dont even think its even rooted at this time! I need a tool or windows download of some sort. Any help greatly appreciated!
How about this?
http://androidadvices.com/unlock-android-phone-forgot-pin-password-screen-lock/
It should work but it will require you to know the Gmail account (username and password) that your daughter used when she setup the phone in order to access android market on your PC and download the app.
Good luck
slander98 said:
That looks like a nice program to instal on the device after I get into it but as it stands now the phone is locked & I dont even think its even rooted at this time! I need a tool or windows download of some sort. Any help greatly appreciated!
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Click to collapse
Do you know the # of characters for the password?
Start by trying things that you know your daughter is into... favourite band, tv show, etc.. or simple things like her birthday, her best friend's name
But honestly, why wouldn't you just ask her?
Tell her AT&T needs to know her password so they can try to recover the phone... just get creative, then once you unlock it install the app and you're good to go!
Yeah I figured out the password & tried to install the program but it says for security your phone is set to block installation of non market apps & takes me to settings but i couldnt find any options to allow me to do it.
Is this a relevant article or is there an newer or easier way?
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=706887
Go to
Menu > Settings > Applications
Check the "unknown sources" box, good to go.
Not sure if AT&T still locks their phones from doing this.. but if so, the option won't be there..
I can't imagine that they would do still lock them from sideloading because then you wouldn't be able to use the Amazon app store..
Let me know
slander98 said:
My daughter has a HTC Inspire & recently lost it due to behavior unbecoming for a young lady!! My question is is there a way to gain root access in order to blow out the password file & access the phone or any other trick that wont reset everything? If im being honest, Im scared to death of what I might find but also believe its something that needs to be addressed before something even worse happens! Any of you with daughters know what im talking about.
I guess I could just record a youtube video of me putting a couple rounds in it!
Thanks in advance!
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Jesus man ......... i so wish you hadn't posted this bro ........*sigh*.
I have 6 year old twin girls ......... and one of them Gretel ........ already has the most inappropriate friends you could possible imagine ...............
Am not being 'square' in believing 6 year olds do not need high heels am I??
That 6 year olds encouraging each other to kiss boys is unnecessarily early??
Or that in 2012 hair length and colour of garment should not be a big gender signifier??
Dood .......... please tell me it gets better??
Yeah its NOT giving me that option..... Im updating the software in hopes that fixes it. any other work arounds for sideloading if not?
And no sir unfortunately it DOESNT get better! Im gonna end up in prison!! LOL
No offence, but at six years old, you should be able to dictate who her friends are - so long as you have the mother's (wife's?) support
I do hear what you are saying.. environmentally it's hard nowadays.. so much inappropriate influence from media/friends/etc
but my five year old daughter does what I say.. end of story.. it all boils down to the parents. Act now brother! Save the children! (seriously) it only gets harder.
ingenious247 said:
No offence, but at six years old, you should be able to dictate who her friends are - so long as you have the mother's (wife's?) support
I do hear what you are saying.. environmentally it's hard nowadays.. so much inappropriate influence from media/friends/etc
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Yeah that would work where it not for the fact that my kids are at school full time 5 days a week 9am-3pm and the inappropriate kids are her school friends. I have no control over who see hangs with at school ........ just like every other parent.
Looking for solutions for something similar to this.
maybe a free solution..... Anyone heard or have any expeirence with anything like this?
mobile-spy.com
Go to htcsense.com, log on to the accpunt she useful for HTC apps. From there you can track her phone, forward messages and calls to another phone. Lock the phone, etc..... I love it because I lost it once and I tracked it down and found it, also I was able to forward everything to my galaxy s.
Sent from my HTC Wildfire S using xda premium
So my ex girlfriend is convinced that I have somehow hacked her phone. (I haven't.) So much so that she drowned an HTC phone and got herself a new Droid Maxx. However she is still having the issues that led her on this paranoid delusion. I am looking for someone to help me explain to her she has not been hacked, or if I am wrong to correct me.
The story starts with her saying that her Facebook app on the phone is acting funny. Yeah the nebulous adjective, funny. When I asked her what does she mean by that she has various performance complaints as well as the app crashing at inopportune times. Setting aside such shaky evidence of somebody hacking a phone (because as you know, one thing a hacker does not want to do is let their victim know that they are inside their phone and thus shutting down the exploits they have already put in place) I am now seeking anyone who knows more about this than I do to help explain what she is seeing so that she stops accusing me of something I am not doing. To make matters worse ex-girlfriend decides to start monkeying around with things that she doesn't understand inside her phone settings and discovers something that I finally find to be odd but can't really explain away.
She went into her old phone (an HTC M8 I believe) account synch settings and sees the Facebook mobile number displayed as not her own. In fact it's not even a proper number. Here is a screen shot from the new phone (my memory says that a very similar result was on her old phone):
(Annnd Dammit since I am a fairly fresh user I cannot post a pic link, if you are trying to help me PM me and I think it'll let me pate you the link)
(Or I can try to put 5 spaces in the link to make it non working and if you have the patience copy it and take the spaces out to go to the screen shot)
http: // imgur.com / Mfba WdE
The number listed is not even a complete number and does not come up in any useful way in Google searches. This odd number was on her previous HTC phone before she sent it for drowning and then her new Droid Maxx phone is showing the same thing.
As you know it's useless to go and ask Facebook for any sort of support seeing as how we are not their customers, we are actually the commodity they sell to advertisers so they could give a rat's ass about assisting their commodity. Remember when you don't pay for something then what is being sold is you.
I must add that she also has confirmed to me that when she signs in to Facebook in a browser on a PC she does not see her number replaced inside her profile. It seems really very odd to me how her mobile app still knows how to link with her regular profile when the number is not matching. I have an HTC One M9 and I do not have the same behavior as she reports. According to her she can still see her news feeds and friend posts and all that Facebook goodness. She says she has Avast running on the phone, and she does not install any software not obtained through the Google Play Store.
My research came up with not a very convincing theory. What I found was a dated forum post regarding a Facebook feature that had been discontinued. The feature being cited was like an address book feature that sought to synch the phone's address book and the Facebook Friends list and address book together. But the discussion did not quite match what I was observing so it is unconvincing that I found what the cause was.
Can anyone follow this story at all? Has her phone been hacked? Can anyone tell me a better place to post a question regarding this?
We have been through five phones -Samsung Galaxy, then Motorola, two internet providers two cell phone providers, made so many calls I have lost count. He uses Chromebook and a Motorola Droid phone. He has even hacked my old home phone, tv, you name it, he has tried to own it . Oh, I forgot-my home security and ring doorbells also. I can change an app permission and I can see him go right in and change it back. I am sure he lives close in the neighborhood How do I get rid of this horrible person?
He grays out permissions, default apps, etc., Which keeps me from being able to delete an app, or change someone being able to access in the background. He has confiscated our emails (Gmail), prevents us from sending or receiving ones he doesn't like. He uses email for email on the web, advertising, chat, and many other things. He listens to phone calls steals all photos, maps addresses to companies or people in contacts, uses maps for ?? Xxx an anyone help me, or at least tell me how to reverse graying out on apps? This has become unbearable! Thank you!
How do you know it's a he?
It's always the girl next door.
Lol! I cannot prove it, but the big gamers nextdoor moved in when this started happening. Their best friend is an experienced IT guy who only appears when I have gone in and changed things. In those days, new changes happen, such as Ring doorbells hacker, etc. Not blaming, but coincidence?
blackhawk said:
How do you know it's a he?
It's always the girl next door.
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Sorry. See reply in post.
Bro, I'm so sorry. My husband has been going through this VERY thing for the past year. They don't mess with mine. I just wanted to let you know even though I don't have any resolve for you, I hear you and know that it's not phony and we totally feel for you. Seriously, maybe you and my hubby can talk. I'm so sorry that you're going through it. Feel free to message me.
This sounds like a great fan fiction and will bookmark this to see how the story develops. Thank you for putting this in Moto G Power section right where it belongs!
Sounds like you might need to invest in a router with better security features.
Moosetears said:
This sounds like a great fan fiction and will bookmark this to see how the story develops. Thank you for putting this in Moto G Power section right where it belongs!
Sounds like you might need to invest in a router with better security features.
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Definitely not fiction. It is a nightmare and could REALLY use some advice!
gunnshot81488 said:
Bro, I'm so sorry. My husband has been going through this VERY thing for the past year. They don't mess with mine. I just wanted to let you know even though I don't have any resolve for you, I hear you and know that it's not phony and we totally feel for you. Seriously, maybe you and my hubby can talk. I'm so sorry that you're going through it. Feel free to message me.
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It has been a nightmare! They started with mine, and have now invaded my husband's phone also.
Scammed said:
It has been a nightmare! They started with mine, and have now invaded my husband's phone also.
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Why are you posting on XDA? If you are this convinced that someone has unauthorized access to your devices, you need to be talking to law enforcement. The best advice we can offer you is to change all your passwords immediately, enable 2 factor authentication, and if possible seek a restraining order. XDA is a smart device hacking and development community, not a private investigation service.
V0latyle said:
Why are you posting on XDA? If you are this convinced that someone has unauthorized access to your devices, you need to be talking to law enforcement. The best advice we can offer you is to change all your passwords immediately, enable 2 factor authentication, and if possible seek a restraining order. XDA is a smart device hacking and development community, not a private investigation service.
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I didn't think you were a p.i. firm. Obviously, I am not tech savvy. A little kindness please? I simply want to know how to ungray grayed out app permissions. I have searched on my own and cannot find the answer. I have reported it to local police, state police, Motorola, Samsung, Verizon, Xfinity, metronet, on and on and on. No help from anyone. I don't have $2,500.00 to just put down a retainer for a p.i. I knew someone on this forum would know the answer I am searching for and might kindly tell me. Thank you.
Scammed said:
I didn't think you were a p.i. firm. Obviously, I am not tech savvy. A little kindness please? I simply want to know how to ungray grayed out app permissions. I have searched on my own and cannot find the answer. I have reported it to local police, state police, Motorola, Samsung, Verizon, Xfinity, metronet, on and on and on. No help from anyone. I don't have $2,500.00 to just put down a retainer for a p.i. I knew someone on this forum would know the answer I am searching for and might kindly tell me. Thank you.
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Well, it can be hard to distinguish the difference between reasonable concern over privacy violations vs unwarranted paranoia, and you aren't the only one who's come to XDA with this type of story. Most of your assumptions are likely mistaken and can be simply explained by the nature of Android itself.
Remote intrusion of mobile devices is actually pretty rare. The most common ways bad actors get ahold of sensitive user information are: phishing, user-approved permissions on questionable apps such as TikTok, and "connected" social media accounts, where users allow websites and apps access to their social media profiles, or use their social media as a login.
Regardless, to the technical point of the matter, grayed out app permissions are not the result of hacking or surreptitious malfeasance, but rather the nature of the "rules" inherent to Android - you can't remove system apps or disable system-controlled permissions without root.
If you still think you have reasons for concern, this is my only suggestion:
Change your phone number
Immediately change all relevant passwords - minimum 10 characters, a mix of upper case, lower case, numbers, and special characters, do not reuse them
Enable 2 factor authentication on all accounts, ensuring your 2nd factor is something that you and only you have access to
Once done, sign out all devices signed into those accounts
Perform a factory reset on your device; even better, reflash factory firmware. Keep bootloader locked.
Do not use questionable apps