Android Phone: PushAds + Premium Messaging Charges?

[Guest WyattEarp]

i keep getting these little notifications in my status bar on my Droid Incredible, that say to go www.xapush.com/ something or other after the backslash, and that a $9.99 monthly rate applies.

I guess they are called AirPush Ads. I've tried to block these darn things, went into my mobile account online and blocked all text messages sent from the web, and spam messages, yet they still manage to sneak through, and I keep seeing $9.99 added on to my bill, and I have to call Verizon, cancel it and get them to remove it from the bill.

how is it these companies can send you this crap and charge you for it, even when you don't open the notification or accept the terms? I don't want to be charged for this junk.

I downloaded an app called AirPush Detector, and apparently somehow these things attach to apps like adware, and then start sending you notifications. I had one that was attached to my iphone keyboard app which makes texting a lot easier, so I had to uninstall it. Then i had another one attached to a blogspot.com blogger app I had downloaded, so it's uninstalled too.

anyone have any other ideas? the smartphone via the android system is becoming about as much of a nuisance as a worthless pc and all the bs associated with it.

can anyone put a stop to all this? its getting out of hand and very frustrating to get charged for something I never accepted and don't want to begin with. Why is it not illegal for these companies to do this, and why do mobile carriers charge you for it to begin with?

[Guest lostpass]

I suspect they can't charge you for it unless you give them your billing information. So forget about the spam.

It is like me sending something from TGO saying "You owe me 9.99!" Just because I say it is so doesn't make it so.

Don't fall for this stuff and if it really bothers you get an iPhone. You control your account and know that no one else does.

[Guest WyattEarp]

well they are charging me for it because it keeps showing up on my bill. somehow just having your phone number enables them to subscribe you to the premium messaging service, and they bill Verizon, and Verizon bills you. im sick of this third party billing crap, and I don't understand why cell phone providers even allow it.

[Timestepper]

Go back to using a flip phone and you won't have to worry about it. Casio makes one for Verizon that's virtually indestructible - had mine for 2 1/2 years now and abused the hell out of it and it's still going strong despite being dropped, kicked and submerged in the Clinch River for extended periods while trout fishing - plus it picks up & retains a signal better than any phone I've ever owned. Otherwise... good luck!

...TS...

[strickj]

My best guess is that you are "agreeing" to receive the premium texts when you download the apps.

My best guess with knowing Verizon and how they operate is that they are in on it. Verizon has been hit with a few class-actions because of stuff like this.

The main reason I left Verizon is because of their BS charges that seem to appear on every bill

https://www.premiumsmsrefunds.com/

I suspect they can't charge you for it unless you give them your billing information. So forget about the spam.

It is like me sending something from TGO saying "You owe me 9.99!" Just because I say it is so doesn't make it so.

Don't fall for this stuff and if it really bothers you get an iPhone. You control your account and know that no one else does.

Cell phones are like credit cards. It's getting to where you can buy just about anything now and get billed through your service provider.

[jcj]

Airpush detector should take care of the problem on Android. You've uninstalled all the airpush associated apps already?

Edited November 9, 2011 by jcj

[Guest spoolie]

Step 1: Root your phone

Step 2: See step 1

Problem solved when you have superuser rights on your phone.

[Guest WyattEarp]

Airpush detector should take care of the problem on Android. You've uninstalled all the airpush associated apps already?

yes I did.

Step 1: Root your phone

Step 2: See step 1

Problem solved when you have superuser rights on your phone.

phone was rooted and has been since I got in January. these pushads just started about 2 weeks ago.

[Guest spoolie]

If it's rooted, you can delete any program easily.

[southernasylum]

I spent 45 minutes on the phone with sprint trying to get one of these charges off of my bill and I have a flip phone! If it happens again I'll be very vocal about it with customer service.

-southernasylum

[Guest WyattEarp]

If it's rooted, you can delete any program easily.

ok, but that's not the point. the apps I downloaded came from the Android Market, they aren't supposed to have adware attached to them that puts charges on my bill.

deleting the program does nothing to stop the ads in the future if they are attached to other programs.

[Guest spoolie]

Try wiping the phone and re-install the OS.

[Guest GT_Rat]

[h=1]Premium Messaging[/h] How do I prevent phone numbers on my account from using Premium Messaging?

Account holders can disable Premium Messaging via My Verizon.

To disable Premium Messaging:

1. Make sure you are signed in to My Verizon.
   
2. Click on the "Safe Guards" icon.
   
3. Under "Service Blocks," click on “Add/Remove Blocks.” A list of available service blocks will display.
   
4. Check the box next to “Block Premium SMS.”
   

Note: This needs to be done for each line on the account that you want to prevent from using Premium Messaging. This will prevent anyone from using those lines to subscribe to new Premium Messaging programs or from incurring premium charges from new programs.

[Guest WyattEarp]

Premium Messaging

How do I prevent phone numbers on my account from using Premium Messaging?

Account holders can disable Premium Messaging via My Verizon.

To disable Premium Messaging:

1. Make sure you are signed in to My Verizon.
   
2. Click on the "Safe Guards" icon.
   
3. Under "Service Blocks," click on “Add/Remove Blocks.” A list of available service blocks will display.
   
4. Check the box next to “Block Premium SMS.”
   

Note: This needs to be done for each line on the account that you want to prevent from using Premium Messaging. This will prevent anyone from using those lines to subscribe to new Premium Messaging programs or from incurring premium charges from new programs.

that's already been done, it was mentioned in the first post. I went in and added www.xapush.com to the list of blocked domain names last night, but the block premium sms and all web text messages was done 2 weeks ago.

[Guest lostpass]

is this really the state of Android phones? That's a pretty sad thing....

[wewoapsiak]

Unfortunately there is always someone with just enough knowledge and not enough common decency who can do this. This isn't limited to just Android, other phone OS's can be affected too. Only thing you can do is make sure you download from trusted developers / trusted markets. Even if you're using Airpush Detector, Addons detector, Lookout Security, etc you can still be affected. The only possible method of preventing them from doing it accessing and charging you is if you have a rom such as CM7 that allows you edit and remove any and all permissions an app has on your phone.

It's hard to uncover the line of code that causes the charges to start, so the Android Market will sometimes get these bad eggs.

You have to be careful what you do, even then you get bit in the butt sometimes (like the OP).

Android things to think about:

Try to stick to apps that have been downloaded and rated a lot. Doesn't always work since these scum can pump their ratings up

Don't connect to public wifi to do anything important or log in to anything. A simple man in the middle app on my phone can capture your login, history, etc (Google "Firesheep", "WifiKill", or just sniffing program). And it could allow someone to push malware to your phone.

Do you leave your bluetooth on and your device discoverable? I hope not.

Uncheck the "Allow Unknown Sources" in your application settings except when using it. Malware can download other apps without you know.

In the past I would cringe if someone would ask if they should put security software on their phone, it shouldn't be needed. But it is now.

OP, if you have the time and patience, depending on whether you are just running rooted or a custom rom I'd do a factory reset to wipe the /data partition reflash your rom which will format your /system partition, and I'd save the important stuff off your sd card and format that thing. I did see a app that somehow stored info on the sdcard and basically the phone got pinged and sent the data out once a day, but that was a long time ago, Android 1.5 timeframe.

[Il Duce]

Cyanogenmod7 ftw

[Guest WyattEarp]

Unfortunately there is always someone with just enough knowledge and not enough common decency who can do this. This isn't limited to just Android, other phone OS's can be affected too. Only thing you can do is make sure you download from trusted developers / trusted markets. Even if you're using Airpush Detector, Addons detector, Lookout Security, etc you can still be affected. The only possible method of preventing them from doing it accessing and charging you is if you have a rom such as CM7 that allows you edit and remove any and all permissions an app has on your phone.

It's hard to uncover the line of code that causes the charges to start, so the Android Market will sometimes get these bad eggs.

You have to be careful what you do, even then you get bit in the butt sometimes (like the OP).

Android things to think about:

Try to stick to apps that have been downloaded and rated a lot. Doesn't always work since these scum can pump their ratings up

Don't connect to public wifi to do anything important or log in to anything. A simple man in the middle app on my phone can capture your login, history, etc (Google "Firesheep", "WifiKill", or just sniffing program). And it could allow someone to push malware to your phone.

Do you leave your bluetooth on and your device discoverable? I hope not.

Uncheck the "Allow Unknown Sources" in your application settings except when using it. Malware can download other apps without you know.

In the past I would cringe if someone would ask if they should put security software on their phone, it shouldn't be needed. But it is now.

OP, if you have the time and patience, depending on whether you are just running rooted or a custom rom I'd do a factory reset to wipe the /data partition reflash your rom which will format your /system partition, and I'd save the important stuff off your sd card and format that thing. I did see a app that somehow stored info on the sdcard and basically the phone got pinged and sent the data out once a day, but that was a long time ago, Android 1.5 timeframe.

I actually destroyed my original DINC last week, it got dropped in water and died, bought a used one off craigslist in great condition, factory reset the phone, rooted it, set my settings, imported my phone book, and put all my apps back on from the android market. haven't seen any more xapush.com or other ads since I removed all the affected apps that has AirPush ads attached to them,

bluetooth is never on, i never use it. i dont use wifi, i always use the data (mobile on) feature, i have unlimited, so wifi is pointless when I'm already paying for data.

i just went and unchecked allow the unknown sources, i had it on when i installed the root and the Rom Manager. 4.8.x.x

im thinking it may be time to switch to an iphone.

Just about had enough with pc/android based stuff. virus this, malware that, adware that, trojan this, security vulnerability that, get this piece of security software, download this update, install these definitions, restrict this setting, turn on the firewall, and just blah blah blah. you have to do so much crap to a worthless pc and an android phone just to make it safe to use, and it really just takes all the fun out of it. It's a hassle, an inconvenience and just annoying. you spend more time hassling and dealing with all this security, than you get to spend on actually just using the damn thing.

I've had my 27" iMAC since April, and the only thing I run on that is security minded is Little Snitch. no anti-virus, no anti-spyware, no malware remover, none of that stuff, and to date???? not one ounce of trouble on my iMAC. zip. zero. zilch. not one crash. no grey screen of death. I recently got rid of my dell laptop for a used macbook, and have no regrets. the more I use MAC, the less I like PC/Android.

[Il Duce]

I've had zero issues out of mine. Maybe you should stop looking at pron on your things.

[Guest WyattEarp]

i dont look at porn on my computers or my phone thank you very much.

[Guest BenderBendingRodriguez]

And even if you did, you should be able to look at porn without breaking your entire computer or phone.

[Guest spoolie]

I love the Android OS..if anyone is going to experience problems it will be Drew.

[Guest lostpass]

I've had my 27" iMAC since April, and the only thing I run on that is security minded is Little Snitch. no anti-virus, no anti-spyware, no malware remover, none of that stuff, and to date???? not one ounce of trouble on my iMAC. zip. zero. zilch. not one crash. no grey screen of death. I recently got rid of my dell laptop for a used macbook, and have no regrets. the more I use MAC, the less I like PC/Android.

Little Snitch is fantastic. You can really lock down a Mac easily but with Little Snitch you can just lock out annoyances...