are mobile phones safe and secure to buy and use in Thailand?

[ghost writer]

Hello all, I have a question - has anyone else experienced unusual activity on their mobile phone? I bought a Samsung mobile from Tucom in Pattaya recently and it has pre loaded Chinese apps. I read an article online about Tucom in Pattaya selling Chinese fake mobile phones loaded with malware and it has got me thinking maybe I am being hacked.

Would appreciate any feedback

cheers

[i claudius]

I would never ever buy anything again from Tuk Com ,mostly fake crap.

[StefanBBK]

Original Samsung phones have a lot of app pre-installed, but not Chinese. It might be a grey market import from HKG.

Best to check the serial number and do some Google search.

Best to buy from Samsung outlet.

Edited November 11, 2014 by StefanBBK

[ghost writer]

Thanks Stefan, I have now installed anti virus software on the phone, nothing flagged up on the anti virus scan but I cannot remove the Chinese app - seems to be linked to Google Play services. The link I read about this is http://howtomakemoneyinthailand.com/buying-a-mobile-phone-in-thailand/ where they talk about installing TOR (The Onion Ring) software to ensure no one can intercept data, which I think I will try - I definitely won't buy anything from Tucom again!

[koo]

TOR may be a little overkill for a normal user. But having a good and easy-to-use VPN with malware protection might be a good idea (on top of an antivirus program). I use Freedome by F-Secure, a 1-click app that keeps the bad boys away. Not free but pretty inexpensive.

[ToddinChonburi]

I would never do anything on a mobile phone that needs security, Like banking for instance.

[KhnomKhnom]

You must buy anything that can be faked from super reputable dealers.......... clothes, bags, phones, etc.

Gray and black market stuff is here but ..... mostly simply above table fakes but gray is also common.

[kkerry]

If the price was a lot cheaper than normal then possibly a fake. I've been shown S4 phones for less than half the regular price but looked just like the real thing. When asked the seller told me it was a copy, and if you went deep in to the settings a few things didn't add-up, but pretty impressive all the same.

[tw25rw]

Try Malwarebytes and Lookout as well.

[Suradit69]

Tucom in Pattaya selling Chinese fake mobile phones

A global statement that you aren't qualified to make, especially since TukCom is a mall and not selling anything themselves

Of course some caution is needed wherever you buy things especially if you have no idea what it is you are being sold, but "all the stuff" is not fake there and you have no proof that what you bought was "fake" unless there is evidence that they claimed it to be one thing and delivered something different.

Things I've bought at TukCom were "real" and what I intended to buy. I was able to register & receive updates online for the Apple, Seagate, H-P, WD, Olympus, Nokia, Microsoft etc products I bought there. In some cases I made a point of saying I wanted "original" items or software and paid the sensible price for the item that fit that expectation.

If you can't register your product online or verify its authenticity with the company, then take it back to the seller. Did you register the phone with Samsung or sign-up for updates and get rejected by Samsung? If it was made by Samsung, then it isn't a fake.

Edited November 11, 2014 by Suradit69

[AnotherOneAmerican]

Chris DiBona, Open Source Programs Manager at Google, certainly thought so when he released an update tackling the topic on his Google+ account back in November, 2011. In it, he argued that: “Yes, virus companies are playing on your fears to try to sell you bs protection software for Android, RIM and iOS. They are charlatans and scammers. IF you work for a company selling virus protection for Android, RIM or iOS, you should be ashamed of yourself.”

Read more: http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/do-you-need-antivirus-on-android/#ixzz3IlDlOxNq
Follow us: @digitaltrends on Twitter | digitaltrendsftw on Facebook

[YeaBiGgiEs]

What makes something "fake"? Unless you were wanting/intentionally buying a specific model and later realized that it wasn't genuine or authentic. EXAMPLE: You want an iPhone 6 but later find out its got Nokia parts with an iPhone 6 shell.

Otherwise you bought a phone and got a phone...and everyone knows that phones all over the world are sold with configurationd/specs that are different in different countries. Almost all phones will come with pre-installed apps aka. "bloatware", especially those phones that are subsidized by a service provider. (ie: USA phones)

There is a process referred to as "jailbreaking" or "Rooting" your phone that allows you to gain full access and delete those unwanted programs.

BE CAREFUL: Its the same as going into the registry of your computer. If you don't know what you're doing you could wind up "bricking" your phone rendering it totally useless like a brick.

As with anything you buy anywhere you must do your due diligence and don't assume.

[StefanBBK]

Thanks Stefan, I have now installed anti virus software on the phone, nothing flagged up on the anti virus scan but I cannot remove the Chinese app - seems to be linked to Google Play services. The link I read about this is http://howtomakemoneyinthailand.com/buying-a-mobile-phone-in-thailand/ where they talk about installing TOR (The Onion Ring) software to ensure no one can intercept data, which I think I will try - I definitely won't buy anything from Tucom again!

Tor is definitely overkill. Try to disable the app if you can't unistall it. Let me know if you need help.

[KhunBENQ]

Basically all smartphones come preloaded with lots of crap/bloatware (like my Samsung purchased at Tesco in Thailand).

Seems like the topic starter has fallen into a trap by getting a phone preconfigured for the Chinese market (Chinese bloatware).

And the annoyance is, that you can not get rid off by normal means.

Disable as StefanBKK writes.

Rooting: hands off if you are not a techie and want to spend a lot of effort.

A smartphone operated as root is THE real security thread.

Not buy at Tukcom: a generalization that does not make sense.

You just have to make sure, that you get a brand-new device, as many stalls offer second hand devices for a low price.

[WhamBam]

I bought a Nokia there the other day. Definitely genuine. Updates already installed.

I was shown a Samsung. The price was low. When I asked if it was a copy, the seller said 'Yes.'. I declined it. At least they were honest about it being a copy.