My buddy asked me to take a look at his phone for him. He came by my work and said something about someone cloned his phone. He said that he has been having random apps download onto his phone, his apps getting deleted, data charges that he didn't make, etc. I had never heard of phone cloning before until tonight. So, assuming that this is what has happened, is there a way to get rid of it. Is the spyware attached to the operating System? Can I install a new operating system to be rid of the hacker?
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Help Possible Cloned Phone
- Thread starter Ill1
- Start date
You need to tell us if he knew that his phone was cloned or if he's guessing, it's going to save a lot of trouble.
Phone cloning occurs when someone copies your meid number, normally kept confidential, onto their phone, usually to try to illicitly bypass a carrier lock.
That doesn't occur randomly by some "hacker" getting in to his phone remotely.
Find out and relay the whole story so we can make heads or tails out of what's going on.
Meanwhile, change the Gmail password - immediately.
Phone cloning occurs when someone copies your meid number, normally kept confidential, onto their phone, usually to try to illicitly bypass a carrier lock.
That doesn't occur randomly by some "hacker" getting in to his phone remotely.
Find out and relay the whole story so we can make heads or tails out of what's going on.
Meanwhile, change the Gmail password - immediately.
He's guessing. I haven't seen proof of his data being used and he showed me his task manager and said "what are these apps? I didn't run them". They looked like normal operating processes to me, ones that would normally run all the time. He doesn't know anything about technology, that's why he came to me. I'm assuming he searched Google for what was happening and came across cloning. I had never heard of it until then. That's all the info I have.
I think he's just being paranoid. The only thing that makes any sense to me here is someone using your data as their own. Apps randomly downloading and his being deleted? I'm not so sure about that. Have you ever heard of that happening?
So, someone has to have physical access to the phone to copy the MEID or can it be done remotely? Would cloning even be the issue here? Is it possible that someone cold use your phone to make calls, use data and download apps to their phone, essentially using a copy of your operating system as theirs remotely? This seems like something that could be accomplished in a lot more simple of a manner. But I don't know. Thanks for any help.
I think he's just being paranoid. The only thing that makes any sense to me here is someone using your data as their own. Apps randomly downloading and his being deleted? I'm not so sure about that. Have you ever heard of that happening?
So, someone has to have physical access to the phone to copy the MEID or can it be done remotely? Would cloning even be the issue here? Is it possible that someone cold use your phone to make calls, use data and download apps to their phone, essentially using a copy of your operating system as theirs remotely? This seems like something that could be accomplished in a lot more simple of a manner. But I don't know. Thanks for any help.
If someone has a copy of his Gmail password they could sit at a pc logged in to the Play Store and install apps and change his phone all day long.
Physical access isn't necessarily required for cloning but it's the most common way.
Any number of malware apps could have been given permission to make calls charged to his number.
If he decided to avoid the tech called paying for apps and just got Internet freebies then he's more likely infected - without further information I'd put that probability FAR HIGHER than anything to do with cloning.
If it were me?
First, from a pc, change the Gmail password.
Second, factory data reset the phone to uninstall everything and clear all of the malware hiding places.
Restart phone, log in to Google, only update apps that the Play Store knew about and automatically updates.
Access voice mail and change password - you can make calls from most voice mail services charged to your phone. Many people do not know that.
Then run the phone in safe mode for a few days (Google for procedure for his model).
If it's still logging phone calls he didn't make, contact carrier security because cloning may have occurred.
Otherwise, it was the more highly probable case of stolen passwords and malware.
Do not load any automatic task killers or memory/storage cleaners.
Hope this helps!
Physical access isn't necessarily required for cloning but it's the most common way.
Any number of malware apps could have been given permission to make calls charged to his number.
If he decided to avoid the tech called paying for apps and just got Internet freebies then he's more likely infected - without further information I'd put that probability FAR HIGHER than anything to do with cloning.
If it were me?
First, from a pc, change the Gmail password.
Second, factory data reset the phone to uninstall everything and clear all of the malware hiding places.
Restart phone, log in to Google, only update apps that the Play Store knew about and automatically updates.
Access voice mail and change password - you can make calls from most voice mail services charged to your phone. Many people do not know that.
Then run the phone in safe mode for a few days (Google for procedure for his model).
If it's still logging phone calls he didn't make, contact carrier security because cloning may have occurred.
Otherwise, it was the more highly probable case of stolen passwords and malware.
Do not load any automatic task killers or memory/storage cleaners.
Hope this helps!
frustrated654
Lurker
There is spyware or something on my phone, When I start vz navigator on my phone the GPS shows someone else s location. Happens everyday. Also when I make and receive calls a third party is on the phone. How do I take care of this? I have factory rest the phone and it still happens.
Get that in to your carrier right away.
They've got your phone and someone else's cross-wired in their database.
frustrated654
Lurker
So how do I get this crossed-wired off my phone?
frustrated654
Lurker
What does the carrier need to do?
Your phone number ties to a device identified by MEID, IMEI, etc, depending on the technology, courtesy of your carrier's radio telephone database.
Right now, you're describing what happens when they have one phone number linked to two devices.
I don't know who sits at what desk or pushes what buttons to change what.
I do know that only the carrier can fix that, yours isn't the first case here if it's that (and it very probably is).
So - I'm not sure I understand the question.
You can try calling them.
If you've done something to transfer a phone from one carrier to another with instructions from the Internet (or bought it from a questionable source), then you're screwed. If the other guy did, he's screwed. If neither of you did, then the carrier had a glitch.
Either way, you're not describing a simple handset problem.
Which simply says in a lot of words what I said already.
frustrated654
Lurker
This has happen to my phone in the past. I know who it is doing it. but before factory reset fixed it. I've gone to the cellular company store and they say they have never heard of this and look at me like I'm crazy.
I frequent a corporate store with a competent repair center - sounds like you're not so lucky.
In your shoes my next step would be to email your complaint to corporate support - that nets you a case number and written record - and say that you've already gotten the runaround and need "escalation to tier 3 support" - notice I quoted that if you're unfamiliar.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Technical_support
Your local store has uneducated staff - the issue I described happens often enough when people sell and upgrade phones and someone in carrier activation borks the update.
I assume that if you know who's doing this that it's not a situation of a dumbass prank with good intentions gone wrong, or you'd have said so yeah?
My opinion - I'd petition tier 3 to find the offending handset and get it off the network and blacklisted.
frustrated654
Lurker
Thanks