Programming – Paul's Tech Talk

How to fight text message spam on your cell phone!

PaulJanuary 30, 20121 Reply

Fighting Spam is a Never Ending process!

I got a text message on my phone and it said:

Need a little extra $ today? Bills past due? We can help, visit www.24hrquickfunds.com, takes 5 minutes or less 0.9122046

After Doing some research, I found a pastbin file:

From: 7605147163
Sent: Jan 16 5:45pm
Message:
In need of some quick $? We offer up to $1200 instantly.
Its easy and takes 5 minutes, www.24hrloanvip.com

www.24hrloanvip.com,60.190.222.136

Announced By
Origin AS Announcement Description
AS4134 60.176.0.0/12 CHINANET Zhejiang province network

The following A records are set to 60.190.222.136:
1000atmcash.com,60.190.222.136
1500atmcash.com,60.190.222.136
1minuteloan.org,60.190.222.136
1stcashplace.com,60.190.222.136
1stcashspot.com,60.190.222.136
1stcashstop.com,60.190.222.136
1stdollarsite.com,60.190.222.136
1stdollarspot.com,60.190.222.136
1stdollarstop.com,60.190.222.136
1stmoneyplace.com,60.190.222.136
1stmoneysite.com,60.190.222.136
24hrcashquick.com,60.190.222.136
24hrfastcash.com,60.190.222.136
24hrfastloan.com,60.190.222.136
24hrfundsquick.com,60.190.222.136
24hrhelpcash.com,60.190.222.136
24hrlendatm.com,60.190.222.136
24hrlendcash.com,60.190.222.136
24hrlendvip.com,60.190.222.136
24hrloanvip.com,60.190.222.136
24hrquickfund.com,60.190.222.136
24hrquickfunds.com,60.190.222.136
24hrrushfunds.com,60.190.222.136
24hrvipatm.com,60.190.222.136
aidota.com,60.190.222.136
atmcashholiday.com,205.189.71.207
atmcashrush.com,60.190.222.136
atmforholidays.com,205.189.71.207
atmfundssafe.com,60.190.222.136
atmfundstoday.com,60.190.222.136
atmholidayvip.com,60.190.222.136
atmviprush.com,60.190.222.136
bestcashsite.com,60.190.222.136
cash24hrsite.com,60.190.222.136
cashadvanceholiday.com,205.189.71.207
cashatmloan.com,60.190.222.136
cashhloanholiday.com,205.189.71.207
cashholidayatm.com,205.189.71.207
cashholidayfunds.com,60.190.222.136
cashholidaysnow.com,205.189.71.207
cashsitetoday.com,60.190.222.136
dollarsitenow.com,60.190.222.136
ecashsholiday.com,205.189.71.207
eholidayfunds.com,60.190.222.136
eholidayloan.com,205.189.71.207
eholidaysfund.com,205.189.71.207
eholidaysfunds.com,60.190.222.136
eloanholiday.com,60.190.222.136
eloanholidays.com,60.190.222.136
fastsafeatm.com,60.190.222.136
getholidayscash.com,60.190.222.136
holidaycashseason.com,205.189.71.207
holidayloanvip.com,60.190.222.136
holidayvipatm.com,60.190.222.136
loancashholiday.com,205.189.71.207
myholidayfunds.com,60.190.222.136
quickatmfunds.com,60.190.222.136
recordlf11.com,60.190.222.136
recordpw11.com,60.190.222.136
recordspdp11.com,60.190.222.136
rushfundssite.com,60.190.222.136
safefundssite.com,60.190.222.136
vipatmrush.com,60.190.222.136
vipholidayloan.com,205.189.71.207
fastatmlend.com,60.190.222.136
fastviplend.com,60.190.222.136
getholidaysfunds.com,60.190.222.136
holidayfundsvip.com,60.190.222.136
holidayscashquick.com,205.189.71.207
holidayvipcash.com,60.190.222.136
loancashholidays.com,205.189.71.207
myholidayloans.com,60.190.222.136
quickhelpcash.com,60.190.222.136
recordlf12.com,60.190.222.136
recordpw12.com,60.190.222.136
recordspdp31.com,60.190.222.136
rushholidaycash.com,205.189.71.207
safeholidayatm.com,205.189.71.207
vipcashrush.com,60.190.222.136
vipholidaypay.com,60.190.222.136
fastcashlend.com,60.190.222.136
funds24hrsite.com,60.190.222.136
getholidaysloan.com,60.190.222.136
holidayloancash.com,60.190.222.136
holidaysloannow.com,60.190.222.136
lendcashtoday.com,60.190.222.136
loanforholidays.com,205.189.71.207
myholidaysatm.com,205.189.71.207
quickhelpfunds.com,60.190.222.136
recordln11.com,60.190.222.136
recordslf11.com,60.190.222.136
recordspw11.com,60.190.222.136
rushholidayfunds.com,60.190.222.136
secureholidaycash.com,60.190.222.136
vipfundstoday.com,60.190.222.136
vipholidaysatm.com,205.189.71.207
fastfundsatm.com,60.190.222.136
funds4today.com,60.190.222.136
helprushcash.com,60.190.222.136
holidayloanfast.com,60.190.222.136
holidaysloanseason.com,205.189.71.207
lendsafesite.com,60.190.222.136
loansafesite.com,60.190.222.136
quickatmcash.com,60.190.222.136
quickvipcash.com,60.190.222.136
recordln12.com,60.190.222.136
recordslf12.com,60.190.222.136
recordspw12.com,60.190.222.136
rushholidayloan.com,60.190.222.136
secureholidaysfunds.com,60.190.222.136
vipholidaycash.com,205.189.71.207
vipholidaysfunds.com,60.190.222.136
fastlendtoday.com,60.190.222.136
fundsforholiday.com,60.190.222.136
helprushloan.com,60.190.222.136
loan24hrsite.com,60.190.222.136
moneysitenow.com,60.190.222.136
quickatmfund.com,60.190.222.136
quickvipfunds.com,60.190.222.136
recordpdp11.com,60.190.222.136
recordsln11.com,60.190.222.136
rkwh.com,60.190.222.136
safecashholiday.com,205.189.71.207
shabiao.com,60.190.222.136
vipholidayfunds.com,60.190.222.136
wanbar.net,60.190.222.136
recordpdp31.com,60.190.222.136
recordsln12.com,60.190.222.136
rushfundssafe.com,60.190.222.136

Contacting Straight Talk was a Waste of time!

I tried to call Straight Talk wireless since I am using their prepaid service. So I was told they couldn’t block it or do anything about it. I decided enough was enough. Since they weren’t going to help me, I’d help myself.

The First step is of course finding the carrier that spammer sent the text message from. This however will not help you since it requires you to have access to the phone in question. So I thought I would help you find it another way.

If your looking for the spammers cell phone network, then you can do a reverse cell phone look up. I found a great little widget to find the network:

The widget searches public and premium listings. White Pages APIs are used for locating numbers. Unpublished and mobile numbers can be viewed via specialized directories while landline numbers are traced via public databases.

Free Reverse Phone Lookupgreat free widgetsWidgetboxMore info

Now it is time to Email!

Once you kn
ow which network they are on, you can simply email the abuse department and have them investigate the text messages that are spam. Most companies have a NO Tolerance to spam with emails and thus have the same tolerance to spam as text messages. It is merely letting the right network know that it is going on. Here are a Few email address that can help you:

AT&T and Cingular Wireless — abuse@att.net, although I have read calling them can sometimes get you the help you need. It is however very difficult to speak to someone who can do anything about it. This way you can be sure that when you send it to the abuse department that it is being documented somewhere and somehow. You also retain a copy of the sent email for later on.

Verizon — Abuse@verizon.net, you may
also email them using their website. There isn’t an abuse subject like but you can always select other and then put the information down there.

Sprint — abuse@sprint.net, that seems to be the best approach. Although if your a sprint customer, you can simply block them from what I understand. If you have questions on that though. Please refer to sprint because they know what they can and can’t do.

T-Mobile — forward message to 7726 (which spells “SPAM” on most phone keypads) if you have a T-mobile account with them. if not you will have to call 1-877-453-1304 and report the abuse that way. I am sure there is an email address but unsure as to where to send it.

There are probably other providers that you need to talk to but these are my top 4 that will most likely be the culprits of the sending the spam text messages. If you have any other suggestions feel free to leave a comment, I’m sure others are fascinated as to how to stop some of these types of abuses with getting spam SMS messages and not knowing how to fight for your rights.

Paul Sylvester

Crackdown on Spam Text Messaging (5min.com)

VIDEO: Crackdown on spam text messaging (bbc.co.uk)

Nokia Fined for Spam Texting in Australia (devicemag.com)

Send SMS (text messages) via PHP script (mt-soft.com.ar)

Viacom and ATT layoff some people. (12,850 People)

PaulDecember 4, 2008

Today, we are announcing a company-wide restructuring plan that includes staffing reductions in all divisions. This will result in a reduction of our worldwide workforce of approximately 7 percent, or about 850 positions. We are also suspending salary increases for the Company’s senior level management in 2009. In addition, after a comprehensive review of our operations, we will write down certain programming and other assets. These three actions will bring us significant cost savings and other efficiencies.

[via Gawker]

[ad#ad2-left]This is a Sad day for the telecommunications industry both AT&T and Viacom are laying off people. According to reports Viacom will lay off around 850 people. ATT will layoff 12,000 Jobs. Here’s the quote from Associated Press:

AT&T Inc. joined the recession’s parade of layoffs Thursday by announcing plans to cut 12,000 jobs, about 4 percent of its work force.

[Via Associated Press]

So in all today total that is 12,850 people who are going to be laid off. This is another set of layoffs but isn’t the last to see the whole list of of Layoffs in the Tech industry that I’ve talked about please click this link. You may find some usefull tidbits if you search my blog enough, I’ve got some great tips on getting hired and what you should do to be prepared.

Apple’s Immunity, Botnet sanctuary.

PaulDecember 3, 2008

But is Apple projecting a false sense of security just to save face? Many experts repeatedly warn that all operating systems are susceptible to viruses, and as the Mac becomes more popular OS X will inevitably become a bigger target for malicious attacks.

[via Pcworld]

Having said that I feel the notion that Apple is trying to keep there reputation as a virus free system. I can only hope that they stay that way. Which as much as I know, Apple will most like start to be the main source for botnets, because of the lack of security.

[ad#ad2-right]According to reports on this blog, people are worried Apple stance on it being the safest and having so much immunity to viruses. Apple in the past has stated they have mislead people with there firewall. Yet Apple takes down that suggestion of having an Anti-virus(Quietly).

[ad#digg-left]Everything I’ve seen suggest that virus writers and Malware writers will MOST likely start targeting the Mac OS X, they know Apple sense of security is Vulnerable to attack and they will exploit it more and more. So what does that mean for Apple, it just means that soon every hacker who has a botnet will want a piece of the Apple Pie and is right now.

[ad#ad2-left]As PC Trojans go, the programming features of RSPlug.E look fairly basic. PC malware is more highly evolved and usually cleverer. But a programmer – probably a Russian – with knowledge of OSX had taken time to create a Trojan that hits Macs instead of PCs, James pointed out.

[via Techworld]

Which looks like it has already begun. So what can Mac users do, get an Anti-virus and maybe Apple will have to start backing down from the Virus commercials and actually admit it. Sooner or later someone will have to challenge Apple to get them to start admitting to it.

Some bloggers are Hyping Windows 7 operating System.

PaulOctober 30, 20083 Replies

After looking around the blogosphere, I’ve come to the realization that people are starting to get hyped up over Windows 7. In one blog post from it.toolbox.com:

[ad#ad2]Windows 7 is due to hit beta and release in 2009, and odds are likely that if the pundits, all of us on the blogosphere and other places like PC World, Cnet, and others all agree that this works the way a computer was supposed to work will help drive sales. What is also interesting is that Microsoft is really pushing to get this puppy out. Along with the bloat are gone the five years of development.

[Via It.Toolbox.com]

I totally agree with what he is saying on the possibility to have an operating system actually do what it is told. Some things people have been looking for in there Searches in regards to Windows Vista are:

Vista Shutdown Problems

User Account Control

Vista SuperFetch

Vista and Battery Life

What Microsoft Doesn’t want you to know!!

From what I can tell people are really having problems with Vista and Shutting down. It always hangs for about 10 to 20 minutes. I’ve come up with a few tricks to shutdown vista little more. So let’s get back to why people are so interested in Windows 7, that is easy they want to have a OS that will make them have a better experience with Vista. I also think it was the Vista and Macintosh aids that also made people not like Vista. Microsoft is just now starting to fight back but the Damage is done and people feel Vista is just not worth using or buying. I tend to disagree, with the flaws of this Operating system, I’ve learn so much from diving in and getting my hands dirty so to speak.

[ad#ad2-1]Where is the future of Window Vista, I say the next Operating system will “Windows 7” but it will be Vista Version 2. It should be far better than Version 1, because of having all that time to fix the most common mistakes and programming errors. It is likely going to create a smoother transition for people from XP to Vista V.2. I am not going to call it Windows 7 because it is so similar to Vista and it just doesn’t seem right. What are you going to call it when it comes out?

I will leave the specualation for WIndows 7 for some others and how they will want to hype up this new operating system because people want something better than Vista. I can not deny them, there will always be people to find flaws in any Operating System. I do want want to be in the Windows 7 Beta just so I can test it out and keep people up to date on what might or might not be in the system when it comes out. I think it has a lot of potential, don’t you?

Fighting Spam is a Never Ending process!

Contacting Straight Talk was a Waste of time!

Now it is time to Email!

Paul Sylvester

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