The thing is that phone companies have gotten very good at filtering such spam calls. Spam callers are usually doing their calls from somewhere in Asia, and modify the source phone number to make it look like they are calling from a local number. However, when such calls in reality is routed from a phone company abroad, it's very easy to block it.
The main problem is really that we are still using a signaling protocol called SS7, which is from 1975....
The main problem is really that we are still using a signaling protocol called SS7, which is from 1975....
That's a hell of a scammer. And yes they are very pushy and rude, even on the answering machine.
I've had a new cell phone, new number, new provider for about two months. I'm already getting 3-5 scam messages a day from "Paypal" and "Amazon." If these messages are to be believed, my bank account has been frozen for months.
My land line gets at least ten spam calls a day. Spammers hang up and call back if I don't pick up, which I never do There was a guy that would call back 15-20 times in a row. He finally gave up.
Here's my issue - if you have all this time and effort to execute these scams, then why not just get a legit job? If you put half that effort into a job you'd be a superstar at work. These perps must be intrinsically evil to choose such a vocation.
I bought a Chinese mobile, which worked very well for 2 years (Vernee, company now renamed). Then there was a last security update and since then countless Chinese apps install magically in the background. When the warrantee is gone, the Chinese seem to sell the backdoor to the mobile to spammers. Any Chinese phone can be activated from some remote location and forced to do what the puppet master want's, I had to learn.
Now I got a Xaomi phone, it is two years old. Did an update without my consent. Guess what happens now. I can not erase these new spy and spam apps as fast as they reinstall, as the backdoor it is anchored in the firmware. Really sorry to say, but the Chinese are not our friends. They do not care for any rule or promise.
Now I got a Xaomi phone, it is two years old. Did an update without my consent. Guess what happens now. I can not erase these new spy and spam apps as fast as they reinstall, as the backdoor it is anchored in the firmware. Really sorry to say, but the Chinese are not our friends. They do not care for any rule or promise.
Just stay away from Chinese phones and network equipment. In many countries, Huawei, ZTE and other Chinese products have been banned by telecom companies, government organizations, healthcare and so on. That includes USA.
There's most probably backdoors in other products as well, but I'd rather have USA or Israel spy on me than the Chinese...
There's most probably backdoors in other products as well, but I'd rather have USA or Israel spy on me than the Chinese...
Funny that... We won't let them provide 5G gear, yet we are happy to let them build nuclear reactors in the UK! As someone said, the worry is they may eavesdrop on the post nuclear armageddon whatsapp group...
But talking of people not to trust - the entire Facepalm empire - so I don't use whatsapp either...
But talking of people not to trust - the entire Facepalm empire - so I don't use whatsapp either...
Some of you might appreciate viewing Mark Rober and his pals tracking down scam call centers and playing some marvelous pranks. They've also worked with the authorities in multiple jurisdictions toward prosecution.
Here is a link to one of the videos. There are many... enjoy!
More on-topic.... anyone have a link to a good power conditioner / filter? I've heard they work well. I think the congestion in the music I'm hearing is because the holes in my p-channels are getting clogged by contaminants in my dirty mains.
Here is a link to one of the videos. There are many... enjoy!
More on-topic.... anyone have a link to a good power conditioner / filter? I've heard they work well. I think the congestion in the music I'm hearing is because the holes in my p-channels are getting clogged by contaminants in my dirty mains.
^ I should have mentioned that I tried that one. I still have to have all my devices back-flushed every two weeks. It's tough to tell since the congestion comes on slowly over a week or two, but when my amp comes back from the shop after its electrical enema (great band name), it's like night and day! Budget isn't a concern. I spent that much just on speaker cable stands.
I mean, not everyone has a system as revealing as mine... So, I'm not saying it's for everyone....
tl;dr - Thanks, but I need something with finer filtering.
Thanks for playing along
I mean, not everyone has a system as revealing as mine... So, I'm not saying it's for everyone....
tl;dr - Thanks, but I need something with finer filtering.
Thanks for playing along
There's an ugly visual associated with that statement. But yeah, we live in a spam and scam universe. It is relentless like cockroaches or bedbugs.
I can remember financial scams that happened to my parents going back to the 1970s, way before Al Gore invented the Internet. My parents were scammed by a bottom feeder mortgage buyer in Florida. One day out of the blue they got served a foreclosure notice. A sleazy bank had bought their mortgage and they didn't have the faintest idea. There was no negotiating with the bank they wanted the house. I remember seeing my father sweating bullets thinking we were going to be evicted. They had to spend thousands on lawyers and legal fees and then refinance the house on top of that. How's that for a backdoor job?
Back years ago, when all this robocall and scam stuff started, I played with these creeps for amusement.
Their foul-mouthed attitude, and then their hanging up on me, once they sensed that I was playing with them was common.
I don't give them a chance to waste my time anymore, I let the answering machine deal with them.
They usually hang up during the outgoing message anyway.
But if a friend calls, I can hear them leaving a message, and then I'll pick up the phone which cancels/stops the answering machine.
REMEMBER: in the past, when we had those thick huge phonebooks, in the front info pages, one of the things stated was....
"If you do not want to talk to or find the caller rude - simply hang the phone up"
I used to keep an air horn by the phone. If I picked up and there was some scammer claiming to be from Microsoft I gave him a blast with the air horn. When I found it was upsetting the dog I dumped the air horn and got a clever answerphone device that doesn't ring but plays a message asking the caller to identify themselves. If they don't identify themselves it cuts them off. If they do respond it allows the call to ring and I then look at the screen to make the decision to pick up or not. This avoids me having to stop what I'm doing and go to the phone for nothing. I have whitelisted the people that I want to give access and effectively everyone else is blacklisted. Works a treat for the landline. There is no mobile (cell) network coverage here so I don't have any other device. The wife has one but it is never switched on unless needed so she is never bothered by it.
There are many ways to prevent this type of thing...
Check to see if you can unlock the bootloader and use LineageOS or something...
Also, you can easily uninstall any app using ADB... Don't need root, either.
https://forum.xda-developers.com/c/xiaomi.12005/
https://www.xda-developers.com/uninstall-carrier-oem-bloatware-without-root-access/
You can use adb uninstall instead of pm uninstall –k ––user 0 BTW
Thank you, you are right, but this didn't work last time I tried, as the lphones firmware itself is loading all that junk. Even when Playstore is removed from the phone, these apps pretend they have been installed by PS.
Sure, one can root such a phone, but to be honest, I simply buy a new one for 100$ (my limit for smart phones) every 2 1/2 years.
Chinese phones are designed to deliver anything of interest to their secret service. I have no problem if they see what I'm doing, when and where. Let them waste human resources, this is my kind of revenge. If I had any valueable information on my phine, I would go for a non Chinese one.
It's also not hard to install Blokada and add *.cn to the filter list... Or any other reputable VPN for that matter.
But really, you just need to find the package name and uninstall it using the method I linked...
There is probably a specific de-bloat script for your phone, too.
If you buy cheap phones every couple of years, consider getting a better phone. Samsung phones get 3 major OS versions, and 5 years of security updates. Google phones are made to development too so they are easy to keep updated using AOSP or LineageOS.
I have a Pixel 2 running Android 13 now - Google stopped at Android 10 for that device but now I have the latest security hotfixes on a phone Google will give me 25$ for as a trade in LOL
As far as Chinese? Learn Mandarin because eventually we'll all be speaking it
Seriously though? The best phones I've ever had were Huawei, and as long as I can root it, I'd buy a Xiaomi - their flagship phone has almost the same specs as the S23 Ultra but it's ½ the price... That and the fact Korean products tend to be junk will make me avoid another Samsung like the plague - I'm still paying for a Samsung phone that was destroyed 2 months ago - it'll be paid for in November.
But really, you just need to find the package name and uninstall it using the method I linked...
There is probably a specific de-bloat script for your phone, too.
If you buy cheap phones every couple of years, consider getting a better phone. Samsung phones get 3 major OS versions, and 5 years of security updates. Google phones are made to development too so they are easy to keep updated using AOSP or LineageOS.
I have a Pixel 2 running Android 13 now - Google stopped at Android 10 for that device but now I have the latest security hotfixes on a phone Google will give me 25$ for as a trade in LOL
As far as Chinese? Learn Mandarin because eventually we'll all be speaking it
Seriously though? The best phones I've ever had were Huawei, and as long as I can root it, I'd buy a Xiaomi - their flagship phone has almost the same specs as the S23 Ultra but it's ½ the price... That and the fact Korean products tend to be junk will make me avoid another Samsung like the plague - I'm still paying for a Samsung phone that was destroyed 2 months ago - it'll be paid for in November.
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Second that, Huawei build quality is good.
Samsung are the only 3 year life phones that are sold here. The others die before that...or need maintenance like batteries or screens, sometimes those are not available.
Tip for Xiaomi: charge only to 90%, then they last 5 years or better.
And see if you can buy one outright, the cheapest Samsung phones are about $150 here for the newer 5G versions.
In the USA, there seem to be monthly plans for phone and service together, many people living there give their 2 year old Apple phones to their relatives here when they are in town for a visit.
They say the old ones are dumped in the trash, they get new phones every two years.
Apple also is said to be well built. But the phones are very expensive here, twice that of Samsung...it becomes a matter of pride for the oldies to say their child gave them an iPhone...
I have used Huawei, Sansung, Lenovo and Motorola smart phones, Huawei stood out, Samsung is close.
Again, no ties to any sellers, just my personal experience.
Samsung are the only 3 year life phones that are sold here. The others die before that...or need maintenance like batteries or screens, sometimes those are not available.
Tip for Xiaomi: charge only to 90%, then they last 5 years or better.
And see if you can buy one outright, the cheapest Samsung phones are about $150 here for the newer 5G versions.
In the USA, there seem to be monthly plans for phone and service together, many people living there give their 2 year old Apple phones to their relatives here when they are in town for a visit.
They say the old ones are dumped in the trash, they get new phones every two years.
Apple also is said to be well built. But the phones are very expensive here, twice that of Samsung...it becomes a matter of pride for the oldies to say their child gave them an iPhone...
I have used Huawei, Sansung, Lenovo and Motorola smart phones, Huawei stood out, Samsung is close.
Again, no ties to any sellers, just my personal experience.
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