Unauthorised charges on my phone

[zombie nights]

I was shocked to discover that the top -up on my phone was negative even though I had recently put it in balance to make the total well over 1000 baht. I called my provider who checked and said I had been charged for SMS's re entertainment/movie sites. No record of this in my account nor messages confirming any of this...I was asked if I had authorised any of these SMS's and I said no. Was told they would be cancelled and the provider would refund me the amounts charges around 1900 baht in a few days.

 

What is going on? Can anyone enlighten me?

[fdsa]

Enjoy your android malware.

[stouricks]

11 minutes ago, fdsa said:

Enjoy your android malware.

Do you use an iPhone by any chance?

[tonray]

25 minutes ago, zombie nights said:

What is going on? Can anyone enlighten me?

Perhaps using the internet on your phone to surf some sites that popup things, i.e. "Do you wish to get ad free access ?" Click the wrong thing and you sign up for SMS and associated charges.

[zombie nights]

2 minutes ago, tonray said:

Perhaps using the internet on your phone to surf some sites that popup things, i.e. "Do you wish to get ad free access ?" Click the wrong thing and you sign up for SMS and associated charges.

Sounds more like it.....and to reply another poster I use Android and not iphone.

[tonray]

Just now, zombie nights said:

Sounds more like it.....and to reply another poster I use Android and not iphone.

Happened to me a few years back...not sure how..but definitely something I clicked on. They trick you..that's the only way they can get people to sign up

[scubascuba3]

I had a similar problem with AIS a couple years ago, just looking at an advert and scrolling down was enough to subscribe AIS said, obviously a scam which hasn't been repeated. They refunded straight away

[fdsa]

18 minutes ago, stouricks said:

Do you use an iPhone by any chance?

A highly customized android but I advocate people without enough IT knowledge to use iphones as it's much lower chance to catch malware on IOS.

[stouricks]

23 minutes ago, fdsa said:

A highly customized android but I advocate people without enough IT knowledge to use iphones as it's much lower chance to catch malware on IOS.

Android and other mobile platforms have their roots in the modern era when programmers understood the dangers of the internet. We’ve all been programmed what to expect by PC malware, which can sneak onto your system simply because you visited the wrong website with a vulnerable browser. These “drive-by downloads” aren’t feasible on Android without a pre-existing infection. On Android, you have to physically tap on a notification to install an APK downloaded from a source outside the Play Store. Even then, there are security settings that need to be manually bypassed.

 

https://www.extremetech.com/computing/104827-android-antivirus-apps-are-useless-heres-what-to-do-instead

 

Pray tell me what is enough IT knowledge to warrant me keeping my Android phone or buying an overpriced iPhone.

Edited October 13, 2020 by stouricks

[fdsa]

I'm afraid to disappoint you but most modern programmers do not understand the dangers of the internet, and they are even making the internet more dangerous every single day with their ignorance and negligence.

 

6 hours ago, stouricks said:

We’ve all been programmed what to expect by PC malware, which can sneak onto your system simply because you visited the wrong website with a vulnerable browser. These “drive-by downloads” aren’t feasible on Android without a pre-existing infection.

Android does not differ from PCs as android browsers are vulnerable too, for example google for "android exploit kit".

 

6 hours ago, stouricks said:

Pray tell me what is enough IT knowledge to warrant me keeping my Android phone or buying an overpriced iPhone.

 

It depends on the exact model, many cheap chinese android phones comes with malware preinstalled in their firmware, and I've yet to see an iphone with preinstalled malware. I'd avoid any android device not made by european or american companies - at least they come with preinstalled spyware, not malware.

[stouricks]

40 minutes ago, fdsa said:

I'm afraid to disappoint you but most modern programmers do not understand the dangers of the internet, and they are even making the internet more dangerous every single day with their ignorance and negligence.

 

Android does not differ from PCs as android browsers are vulnerable too, for example google for "android exploit kit".

 

 

It depends on the exact model, many cheap chinese android phones comes with malware preinstalled in their firmware, and I've yet to see an iphone with preinstalled malware. I'd avoid any android device not made by european or american companies - at least they come with preinstalled spyware, not malware.

So no Samsung for you then. Where are iPhones made by the way?

[fdsa]

Samsungs are OK too.

The question is not where it's made but who it belongs to - iphones belong to an american company and american laws are quite strict so Apple won't allow [third party] spy/ad/mal-ware on their phones. And chinese/thai/other-asian-except-japan-and-south-korea laws are vague so they are happy to sell you a one hundred dollar phone because they will make another few hundreds by showing you ads and stealing your personal information.

One good example is Lenovo which, while being a somewhat large and reputable company, preinstall malware on their laptops. Because now it's chinese company so it doesn't give a <deleted>, not a former american IBM who cared about their reputation.

Edited October 13, 2020 by fdsa