Cell phone spoofing: You can’t trust your caller I.D.

February 17th, 2010

Re-published with permission from Dan Marries at KOLD News 13, Tucson; original story and video can be found at http://www.kold.com/Global/story.asp?S=11989659

By Mika Highsmith – bio | email

TOLEDO, OH (WTOL) – While many use caller I.D. to protect privacy and screen phone calls, that option is being taken away by an activity called spoofing.

Spoofem.com owner Greg Evans says spoofing is simple. The user enters the number they want to appear on the caller I.D. It can be any number, from the White House to your grandmother’s house.

“You can masquerade an email, a telephone number, or a text message and make it look like it came from someone else,” Evans said.

In addition to faking an email or text message, spoofing includes features like voice disguising and call recording.

Spoofing can be dangerous because it can be used for such nefarious purposes as checking someone’s unprotected voicemail and calling from a local bank asking for sensitive information.

If that isn’t scary enough, spoofing helps scam artists cheat millions of Americans.

One scam victim received a phone call, supposedly from her grandson asking for $5,000 because he’d been injured. The caller I.D. read “Toronto Hospital.”

These scammers make big bucks for a small price, spending only $10 for 60 minutes of spoofing. And as the economy goes down, the number of victims will only go up, says Dick Eppstein of Toledo’s Better Business Bureau.

“Understand this exists, and you can not trust your caller I.D.,” Eppstein warned. He says catching scam artists isn’t easy. “You find out the guys who’s doing it is in Madrid, what do you do then?”

Though spoofing is proven to have a level of danger, it is still easily accessible. A bill was proposed to Congress in 2007 that would have prohibited the sale of caller I.D. spoofing services, but it never passed.

Senator Sherrod Brown says banning it all together would be unconstitutional and others argue there are good uses for it. Legitimate bounty hunters, private investigators and collection agencies, for example, use spoofing to help catch criminals.

“You have to reach a balance, draw a line here where you want legitimate free speech and legitimate profit making activities to be allowed,” Brown said.

However, Brown admits the laws aren’t keeping up with technology, and to remedy that, the U.S. Senate is considering a bill that would make fraudulent use of spoofing illegal.

But crooks don’t abide by laws, so you must protect yourself.

  • Set up a password for your voicemail; it’s even possible for iPhone users with visual voicemail
  • Be sure to verify all calls before reacting and never give out personal information
  • Ask if you can call them back, if they protest or hang up, you can almost be sure you’re being spoofed.

Copyright 2010 WTOL. All Rights Reserved.

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Why Wet Cell Phones Cannot be Repaired (Part 2)

February 10th, 2010

We have already outlined in a previous blog post that water / liquid damaged cell phones are beyond economic repair, if repairable at all.  In this follow up we have decided to outline WHY.  Quite simply, the proper procedure is tedious, time consuming and requires replacement of a significant number of parts.  Keep in mind, that while you may only be experiencing a minor issue (a few keys not working), there can be significant additional latent damage that will lead to additional failures over time.  And if this potential for further damage is not taken into account then it shouldn’t be difficult to realize that the phone cannot be truly repaired as any ‘fix’ likely will be only temporary, until the unforeseen damage materializes.  So, we find it unacceptable to consider a liquid damaged cell phone repaired unless it is done correctly by making sure we address not only the obvious but the not-so-obvious damage as well.  To simply ‘fix’ the issue at hand will result in your spending money on a non guaranteed ‘repair’ with a high probability of future failures.  And repair shops that offer or claim to be able repair liquid damaged phones very obviously lack the knowledge and/or don’t understand why the repairs are not economically feasible.  So, let’s examine the process in some detail.

The first step is up to the user: The battery should be removed IMMEDIATELY.  This will minimize the chance for further shorts by removing the primary electrical source.  (It will not eliminate the threat of damage since there will be an internal battery and stored electrical capacity within the circuitry of the phone.)  Users are smart to rely on internet advice about removing the phone’s battery.  However, there are way too many pointless suggestions offered on the internet about how to deal with wet phones, such as heating the phone with a hair dryer to dry it or “Old Wives”  tale  remedies like using rice to absorb the moisture.  It is important for the owner of a water/liquid damaged cell phone to realize that no ‘internet remedy’ will address the core issue of electrical damage to the phone.   The best advice to follow when you have a water/liquid damaged phone is to get it to a qualified repair shop as soon as possible.

Once a damaged cell phone arrives at the shop it needs to be completely disassembled.  The main PCB needs to be inspected for any visible, catastrophic damage such as de-lamination of the PCB layers or burnt areas.  Any damage of this sort is deemed un-repairable.  Once the unit passes initial inspection, the cleaning / repair / testing procedure can begin.

  • The internal battery will be removed and capacitors need to be discharged and / or removed
  • Most vibe motors, speakers, cameras, microphones, shields will be removed.
  • The PCB will be ultrasonically cleaned for several hours in a specialized cleaning solution.
  • The PCB will be rinsed, dried and inspected.
  • Any residue remaining will be hand cleaned.
  • Removed components are re-installed (using new parts for electro mechanical parts – batteries, capacitors, microphones, speakers, cameras, etc to avoid latent failure and reduce the time needed to test each component individually)
  • Each path / circuit (charging, audio, display, etc) on the PCB must be tested for electrical continuity.
  • Breaks in continuity will need to be isolated by testing the path at  various points to isolate the damaged component.
  • The affected component is replaced and the circuit re-tested.
  • The procedure is repeated until all paths are verified.

Then the process is repeated for secondary PCBs.  In many cases, those secondary boards will simply be replaced.  For any clam shell or ‘flip’ phone, the flexible PCBs will also need to be replaced.

As part of the re-assembly procedure, the Liquid Crystal Displays (LCDs) will be replaced.  Most LCDs are now part of an integrated PCB that does not allow for cleaning and testing.  Since there is a high potential failure rate for LCDs once exposed to moisture, failure to replace them will compromise the repair.

When the foregoing has been completed the unit is re-assembled with a new battery.  This is important because batteries are sealed units, with high probability that they short internally once wet. Since a defective battery can damage the newly repaired cell phone it would be pointless to repair the phone and not replace a potentially damaged battery. With a new battery installed the repaired cell phone is put through a series of final tests to ensure correct operation.

Most phones that we have encountered that were exposed to moisture had NOT been submerged, instead coming in contact with a minimal amount of liquid.   This may lead one to believe that it may be possible to forgo a number of the repair steps previously noted, including replacing flex PCBs, LCDs and batteries.  However, liquid is very pervasive and its affects on electronic circuits is very damaging.  Since any portion / component of a phone that comes into contact with liquid needs to be cleaned or replaced to properly repair the cell phone,  even minimal exposure to liquid will require 2 to 3 hours to evaluate, clean and test the phone.  At shop rates of $50 to $75 per hour, very few phones are even worth repairing, fewer still once the cost for parts is added.

Consequently, based on accepting the work that should be done to properly repair a water/liquid damaged cell phone (assuming it can be repaired), it is not economically logical to perform such repairs, and it would be most prudent to be extremely skeptical of any repair shop that offers or claims to be able to do so because it just can’t be justified.

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Banning calling / texting is not enough. ALL distractions need to be banned equally.

January 21st, 2010

In an effort to further curb distracted driving, a number of states have enacted new laws since the start of this new year pertaining to the use of cell phones while driving.  These new laws are aimed primarily at text messaging and reading emails while driving.  Many states already restrict the use of cell phones while driving to some degree, with more considering similar legislation.  While I agree that these laws are necessary (since it seems that common sense, patience and good driving skills in this country are generally lacking), and statistics back up that cell phone use while driving is a significant risk, I still take issue with these laws.

In several states, the law is a secondary offense.  As such, you cannot be pulled over for using a cell phone UNLESS you are stopped for another violation.  In New York, which bans handheld use while driving (including text messaging), you can be stopped for talking on the phone as a primary offense, but NOT for text messaging!  That is a secondary offense.  It seems to me that holding a phone and at least looking at the road would be less dangerous than texting and looking at your phone!  These laws also do not always regulate the dialing of numbers while driving.  While you cannot hold the phone to talk, you can hold it to dial while looking away from the road.  While there is no doubt that holding a phone and talking is more distracting than using a hands-free device, it does not mean using a hands-free device is safe.  It is still too easy to lose oneself in a conversation regardless of whether you are holding the phone or not.  Even in states where the offense is primary, the fines are as little as $20 for the first offense.  What good are laws that have limited enforceability or offer no significant consequence for disregarding them?

My big issue, however, stems from the intended purpose of these laws – to reduce driving distractions.  I find it absolutely ludicrous that in most states I can legally read a paper, eat, shave, etc, but not talk on my phone while driving. A few states do apply their laws to other portable electronic devices as well as cell phones,  but only New Hampshire and Utah have gone a step further: They have written their laws as ’distracted driver’ statutes rather than as bans or restrictions on cell phone usage.  If you engage in ANY activity while driving and get into an accident in those states, you will be cited, heavily fined, and can lose your license for up to a year.  It does not matter if you are talking on a cell phone, smoking, eating or applying make-up.  The bottom line: ‘. . . (n)early 80 percent of crashes and 65 percent of near-crashes involved some form of driver inattention within three seconds before the event.’  (http://bit.ly/7IvR4L)  So, while cell phone use IS a major distraction, it is not the ONLY distraction.  Singling out cell phone usage without taking into account other distractions does not solve what I perceive to be the core problem, unsafe driving due to driver inattention.

If we truly care about curbing distracted driving, then we should focus on laws that encompass ALL distractions, make them enforceable, make them uniform and make the consequences significant.  Anything else is just a half-assed approach.

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Posted in Random Thoughts, Rants, Raves, etc | 4 Comments »

Wet cell phones CANNOT be (economically) repaired…

January 4th, 2010

The number of cell phone ‘repair centers’ that claim they can fix liquid damaged cell phones, then claim a 70% or better success rate is truly incredible.  I say this because, in virtually every case, the proper repair of a wet cell phone will almost certainly cost more than the phone’s replacement value. AND, even if it would be cost-efficient (which is not very likely) it is doubtful there are many (if any!!) places that have the capability to even perform the proper repair.

The typical repair service offered by most shops generally starts with a warning to remove your battery immediately and ship in your phone ASAP.  The actual repair consists of dis-assembly, cleaning the printed circuit board (PCB) by hand scrubbing with a brush, using an ultrasonic cleaning filled with isopropyl alcohol as needed, and possibly replacing parts (like displays), and finishing with reassembly.  These phones are then quickly tested, deemed repaired and returned with no warranty.  At best, this is a quick, temporary fix, but no way does it mean the phone has been truly repaired.  How can this be, you may ask.

Your cell phone is a small computer designed around a densely populated central printed circuit board with an integrated LCD display and keyboard.  There may be secondary PCBs as well as flexible PCBs (the flex cables that connect the two halves).  The PCB is, by definition, designed to mechanically support and electrically connect electronic components (resistors, capacitors, radio chips, etc) using conductive pathways, tracks, or traces, etched from copper sheets laminated onto a non-conductive substrate.  (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Printed_circuit_board).

As expected, liquid creates a significant number of issues with the electrical connections throughout the PCB.  The severity of these issues is higher when the liquid involved contains electrically conductive materials, and the greater the quantity of these materials, the more likely, and more / significant, the damage.  Water, soda pop, milk and most other liquids commonly involved in cell phone damage are electrically conductive to some degree.  The conductive nature of these liquids, combined with the moisture, lowers resistance between the electronic components and the underlying circuit paths.  Lower resistance results in high current within the circuit causing a large amount of energy output within a short time frame leading to damaged components.  Additionally, open or short circuits can occur when deposits left on the board result in bridges or unwanted connections between the leads of board components.  In the most extreme cases, this can lead to arcing and fires. (We have quite a few boards displaying such damage.)

So can water damaged cell phones be repaired?  Depending on the liquid, the amount of time the cell phone was in contact with the liquid, and the actions taken immediately following the liquid damage, it is possible.  Is it likely?  No.  Is it cost effective?  Definitely not.

We will continue this discussion in our next post (http://bit.ly/acsmIN), detailing the proper repair procedure and illustrating what is involved, to better be able to understand why it is not cost effective to repair water damaged phones.

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DIY Cell Phone Repair is NOT a good idea.

December 22nd, 2009

The cell phone repair business is no different than other repair businesses in that we find there is no shortage of individuals who attempt to perform their own repairs.  As with most other industries, parts, instructions and discussion forums are readily available.  So why should you leave the repair to the professionals?

  • Resources / Knowledge base – While a wealth of information and help can be found in internet forums and on various internet sites, many repairs require more specific details than are available.  Many repairs are not as simple as they appear.  Audio issues may require replacing the display or charger port, not a speaker or microphone as expected.  There is no substitute for the expert experience and proprietary information available only at qualified repair centers.  Most DIY’ers  likely will not have the ability to isolate the source of an issue without costly trial and error.
  • Complexity – Even when a repair is obvious (like a broken display), it can still be complicated process.  Disassembling the phone can be a challenge due to its design,  and improper disassembly can lead to additional broken parts or permanent damage.  In many handsets there are a number of connections that must be de-soldered and then re-flowed after the repair, especially to replace displays.
  • Parts – Assuming that a repair is obvious and disassembly straightforward, there is the issue of obtaining correct and quality parts.  Finding the needed part is easy.  Getting a quality part is not.  There is a huge difference in quality between parts purchased directly from the manufacturer (OEM) and those produced by aftermarket companies.  The failure rate for aftermarket parts (especially electrical parts, including LCDs and flex cables) is high; many do not work upon receipt or fail shortly thereafter.  Many parts do not fit correctly. Lenses and plastic housings tend to be thinner, are poorly finished and/or damage quite easily as compared with OEM parts.  Add in the uncertainty of purchasing from an unknown source and you could wind up getting the wrong part if it even arrives.
  • Tools – While many of the tools needed for proper cell phone repair are readily available, high quality versions are not.  Lower quality, and/or poorly made tools easily strip or damage screws and other component parts.  More complex repairs, like soldering, require specialized tools.  Use of a simple soldering iron with lead free solder at a high re-flow temp can seriously damage circuit boards and components.  Proper repairs require high end irons, de-soldering tools, and pre-heaters.  Electrostatic discharge is another concern.  Since it takes as little as 400 volts to affect small electronic components, but 2500-3500 volts before you feel the shock, damage done to components may not be obvious. Also, latent issues caused by static discharge are quite likely.  Performing a repair as simple as replacing a display without exercising proper ESD safety (mats, wrist straps, gloves, etc) could result in major issues later.

While DIY repairs might save you some money, the potential risks are high.  Have your cell phone repaired properly by finding a qualified repair center.

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Insurance vs Repair…

December 3rd, 2009

People always ask us why they should pay us to repair their cell phone instead of using their service provider’s insurance (especially when it costs them more). Our answer:

  • You know the history of your phone – in all likelihood, you will receive a refurbished replacement and not a new phone.  That means the cell phone you receive will be one that has had previous issues (that could be anything) and this means it has been repaired.  The concern – the ‘insurance’ companies tend to operate on a volume based model and quality can suffer if not correctly monitored.  Additionally, most are returned with non OEM chargers and batteries.
  • You phone has all of your information – while most service providers offer a process to transfer your user data (contacts, pictures), some information like downloaded ringtones, installed apps and text messages may NOT be easily transferred if they can be done at all.  Sometimes spending a few extra dollars eliminates a whole lot of hassles.
  • We can get your phone repaired properly, faster in most cases and warranty that repair with less hassle. – With the ability to perform most repairs within a few hours, the down time is considerably less.  We also warranty our work with a no hassle 90 day warranty AND that warranty repair can be done immediately.  Most ‘insurance’ providers only back the phones for 30 days.  Then you’re very likely to have a hassle to get it replaced (which in itself adds more down time).  As for being ‘repaired properly’…

We routinely see a number of cell phones in for repair that had previously been replaced under ‘insurance’.  In many cases the repair was not done correctly, the quality of the repair was substandard, and/or the quality of the parts used in the repair were substandard / non OEM, or worse.  The last 4 LG handsets that came in to us with issues (shortly after being replaced by the same ‘insurance provider’) illustrate these problems.  One came in with a defective touch screen.  While all looked well, it was obvious that the phone had been repaired.  Small grommets were missing and ground tapes were not seated properly.  Not, in our opinion, a quality repair.  Another 2 had charging issues within a day or two of receipt.  In both cases, the soldering was sloppy and incorrect directly leading to the failure in one.  The other had significant board damage that had circuit paths bypassed by running fine wires from the terminal fittings directly to board components.  This repair is wrong, and not only would the unit not work for long as repaired, it’s totally unsafe.  The last phone had an aftermarket touch screen (identified by the extra long flex cable and other markings) which failed.

The bottom line:  Even if you have a cell phone protection plan, repairing your phone when possible is the smart choice;  it is cost effective and can save you unnecessary hassles down the road.

Does this mean you should skip the option for cell phone protection altogether – not necessarily…  (We will visit this topic in another post.)

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Posted in Cell Phone Repair | 15 Comments »

Of germs and cell phones…

November 17th, 2009

One of the local News stations ran a segment yesterday evening on just how many germs are on our cell phones.  In many cases, the levels were higher than found on toilets! Absolutely disgusting.

The segment went one to recommend (and they showed) disinfecting your phone with the commercial wipes you would commonly use on your counters and in your bathrooms!  Somebody forget to tell them that this was not a smart idea.  First, the chemicals in these cleaners any damage certain plastics including many of the  touchscreens found on most cell phones.  If that is not enough, cell phones and other electronic devices are not compatible with liquids.  While some of these wipes may relatively dry, the last ones to come out of the container are very wet and many have a high moisture content (I know.  We use these to keep our front counter clean.) Regardless of how wet these are, ANY moisture that gets in can be disastrous.  Use this technique and you might find yourself with a germ free paperweight!

So how does one deal with a germ ridden cell phone?  If you are that concerned, a quality repair center can disassemble and clean it properly (albeit voiding your warranty).   Otherwise you can accept it knowing that your car keys, pens, money and a number of other items you use daily probably carry as many germs and you do not seem too concerned about disinfecting them.

The our advice – start by trying to keep your phone as germ free as possible. This is one case were an ounce of protection is worth a pound of cure.  The majority of the germs residing on our cell phones come from the surfaces they touch.  The simplest way to keep your phone clean is to keep your hands clean – something you should be doing anyway.  Wash often and use hand sanitizer when you cannot.  A few other helpful tips to keep your phone germ free:

  • Do not lend out your phone (do you really know where your friend’ s hands have been?)
  • Keep it out of the bathroom
  • Keep it off the kitchen counter
  • Keep it off public surfaces (I don’t even want to touch many of them.)
  • Keep it in a case – if you can’t touch it, neither can germs.

Whatever you do, please do NOT use disinfecting wipes, sanitizers or sprays to clean your phone!  It may end up germ free, but so will it’s replacement!

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Posted in Random Thoughts, Rants, Raves, etc | 11 Comments »

Is your charger failing you?

November 16th, 2009

One of the biggest issues we see on a daily basis is charging related problems. Normally a cell phone that does not charge or a battery that will not hold a charge.   While a broken charger port is very likely to blame, far too often the port is fine and the issue lies with the charger.  It is important to understand that just because the charger ‘fits’, that does not mean it should be used.

Your cell phone charger is a transformer designed to convert household current to safe levels for charging your cell phone.  On your charger, there is a label containing two sets of figures, one for input and one for output values.  The input values are pretty standard at 100-240v~50/60 Hz. (what the charger can accept from AC current).  The output values, the voltage and amperage, will vary to some degree.  For optimum charging, as well as phone, charger, and battery life, it is important that these numbers match your phone’s charging requirements.

Output voltage – Most cell phones use 3.6 volt to 3.7 volt batteries (fully charged at 4.2 volts).  The charger used must have a voltage output value greater than 4.2 but not significantly higher to avoid damage.  The vast majority of cell phone chargers on the market are generally rated at 5.0 or 5.1 volts.

Output amperage – This indicates the maximum amount of current available from the charger.  Using a charger with an amp output rating lower than required by WILL create a number of issues ranging from very slow charge rates to complete device failure.  The greater the difference between the charger’s output and the cell phone’s need, the greater the risk for catastrophic damage.

Using a charger with a higher amp output is normally safe.  The amp rating indicates, as mentioned, the amount of current available – not the amount of current that WILL be supplied.  If your phone requires 700mA to charge and you use a charger with a 1A output, the phone will draw only up to the 700mA.  The charger simply operates below its maximum limit.  However, failure can still occur.  While cell phones and batteries have internal regulators to protect against overcharging, this protection may be compromised.  Defective or damaged batteries, damage from prior use of low amp chargers, etc. can result in the cell phone drawing excess current if the supply allows it.  The end result can be a burnt main board.

One additional consideration must be given to the charger used – the design of the charge circuit in the phone.  While it would seem acceptable to use a Motorola charger with your Blackberry (interestingly, a vast majority of the Blackberry models we see with charging issues come in with Motorola chargers), as the Blackberry requires 500 to 700mA and Motorola chargers are rated to 850mA, there is an issue as illustrated by a recent repair.  After replacing the charger port on a Blackberry 8320, the phone was reassembled and tested (inadvertently) with a Motorola charger. When the charger was connected, the phone charged successfully.  However, when I went back and connected the 8320 to the Blackberry charger, it failed to charge!  After re-examining the port, I found an open short at one of the soldered connections.  After re-repair, and further testing, the Blackberry worked as expected.

So, while the Motorola charger was safe to use based on its rating, it provided current through a different path than designed.  Depending on the charge path utilized by the Motorola charger and circuit protection through that path, significant damage can occur.

What does all of this mean to you?  Using a low quality, universal, or the wrong high quality charger can lead to poor charging performance, damaged batteries, or permanent damage to your cell phone.  It is the equivalent to replacing the tires on your high performance sports car with ones that have a lower speed rating than recommended just to save a few bucks.  The tires will not last and when they fail, the results could be catastrophic.

Our recommendation – ONLY use the charger designed for your phone by its manufacturer!  Have a Blackberry, use a Blackberry charger.

Not sure if you have the correct charger, give us a shout.  Even if you choose to buy the charger elsewhere, we will happily provide you with the correct part number for the charger you need.

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Posted in White Papers | 29 Comments »

There’s a repair for that!

November 9th, 2009

Welcome to our world!

We have decided to take this journey to provide our readers with greater insight into what we do and cell phone repair in general.  Our goal in writing this blog is three-fold:

  • to provide a series of white papers on cell phone repairs.
  • to create an avenue for our random thoughts, rants, raves and reviews on a variety of topics / products within the wireless industry.
  • to provide for feedback and interaction with our readers on a greater level than offered through various other forums.

While much of this blog will stand on its own, your participation is critical in making it successful.  We encourage your feedback, thoughts and opinions, not just on what we blog, but on any topic you would like us to tackle.

Please bookmark this blog, add our RSS feed, and pass it on to friends and colleagues.

Most importantly, thank you for joining us on this odyssey!

Robert

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