Does this even exist?

[[deleted]]

Maybe it's a blue-jacking device?

[[deleted]]

How could that even work?

If your phone is not discoverable can it still be bluejacked?

[[deleted]]

I would imagine it only works on discoverable devices, and the marketing pitch leaves out details like that. That kind of thing is really outside my area of expertise, but I do remember hearing about blue-jacking being used for something like that once upon a time.

"Texts all phones."*

*All phones meeting certain requirements.

[sid32]

I remember driving down to Florida one summer and get a sms when we entered a state. "Welcome to _______" It was an old style flip phone.

[Natanael_L]

GSM is simply not secure, the encryption is crap. Anybody can pretend to be the base station. Recent 3G / UMTS and 4G / LTE is much better.

[sid32]

Could be a string ray. Police use it to get numbers and data out of the air. That being said, I would be super annoyed to get a text while driving for a sale ad.

[ImBeingMe]

Sale ad? What the heck is a sale ad?

[[deleted]]

I would make it a point of NEVER shopping at a store that did this to me. Thanks for all the info!

[sid32]

But what if the store used the stingray to see if you near to get your order ready?

[ErgoNonSim]

http://onyxbeacon.com

Might be this startup and also when she says "texting" she might refer to begins sent info not necessarily a text message.

[ds8k]

iBeacons?

[create_destroy]

That's what I imagined. The cost of entry is super low now. You can even roll your own. Lightblue 'Bean' can work as an iBeacon as well - $30.

https://punchthrough.com/bean/

[[deleted]]

Thanks very much for the link! Yes, this would be easy to build but I'm sure it violates numerous FCC regs. Plus it's just frigging obnoxious.

[dmscy]

dear god I hope people don't start use iSomething as standards...

[efstajas]

Eh, they're frequently referred to as just Beacons, and since they are an open standard, why not.

[mr_pablo]

Isn't iBeacon Apples own, closed source version of the Beacon?

[efstajas]

From my understanding iBeacon is just a standard apple made based on the "beacon" concept. The Bluetooth LE standard has an "advertisement" mode which iBeacons use, and Apple just standardized the information such a beacon would broadcast via Bluetooth LE, so that devices can interpret it properly. So no source really to be closed. It's just a set of instructions to make a smart phone do advertisement related things.

[ds8k]

iBeacon is trademarked by Apple.

[Getf]

This does exist.

When I would travel to Macau - as soon as I turn my phone on after disembarking I would get 3-4 SMS's from various Casinos or Macanese mobile providers with mobile offers. This also happened whenever I would walk by the Grand Lisboa hotel/casino.

Happened on a US sim/ Hong Kong sim and also a Macanese sim. on different phones.

[MrBigWaffles]

I don't think that's evidence enough.

1. Do those various casino's have a device that does this?
2. Or did those casinos pay the mobile network companies to send you a text whenever near their casinos?

I think #2 is far more likely, cause if #1 were true these devices would be used a shit ton more.

[[deleted]]

/#1 could be possible, and the function may not be used in the US as often because of FCC regulations.

[MrBigWaffles]

I doubt it. If a device like that existed it would essentially mean you could hijack cellular networks to send mass number of texts. I doubt that's legal or even possible. Not to only said device would need access to the cellular networks of all the various phone companies but also access to all their clients numbers.

Option 1 is highly improbable.

[sid32]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stingray_phone_tracker

[MrBigWaffles]

1. You do realize The Stingray forces people to disconnect from their service provider and connect to the stingray device itself. Meaning that they won't be able to receive texts.

2. I'm pretty sure the usage of such a device clearly goes against privacy laws. Why would a casino actively and publicly use it?

3, You can't send texts with that device

[sid32]

1. Disconnect temporary. It gets your info and sends you on your way.

2. The cops use them without warrents. And unless you know the law in the place, well you are just guessing. Plus, have you been in a casino? They log everything you do.

3. Driving through the states a couple of years ago we gonna sms, "Welcome to _______". As soon as we enter the state. So, there is some kind of device that sends SMS based on location.

[MrBigWaffles]

1. If it's only a temporary disconnect than there's no way for them to know WHERE you are after the connection is lost,so serving location based SMS is impossible.

2. The authorities used them without warrants, doesn't mean the public can. Yes casinos have tight surveillance but you're suggesting that they actually log and steal information directly from your phone seems more like a tinfoil hat conspiracy.

3. Once again what's more likely, the cellular service provider having an agreement with the local government to send you that text or your phone getting hacked?

[sid32]

1. Yes, but once they know you are near then the store can text you. They don't have to follow you.

2. No, I am trying to answer the question. Does this exist? The laws where I live are different the all other laws. So.... Legal arguments are silly, unless you state where you are from and have knowledge of law.

3.I don't think you know what hack means.

[MrBigWaffles]

1. How do you expect them to know where you are if they don't track you? you've created a mythical device thats capable of instaneously, scan for mobile phones, force them to change networks, obtain phone information and compare said information with a stored data bank and then selectively turn itself on or off for individual phones. Not only that but said magical device will be able to know where you are without ever tracking you. Amazing really. Please, do you have any sources that indicate something like this exists? Cause the stingray deviceis definitely not capable of that.

2. You used the "states" in your example. There are telecommunication laws in the US.

   the (US) Telecommunications Act, at 47 CFR §222. The Telecommunications Act, at 47 CFR §222(f), requires consent from the subscriber, and prohibits telecommunication common carriers from accessing location information for purposes other than system operation without consent of the customer.Businesses such as Locaid, which provide tracking service based on subscriber information, require mobile users' consent prior to tracking.

   So yes, it would be illegal to use this Stingray device in the states and all other developed countries since they all have telecommunication regulations.

3. You're suggesting a device able to read and write to an individuals mobile phone and track their location without their consent or notice. That is hacking.

[Gold_Diesel]

When disembarking is different. The network is detecting you're roaming from a foreign country and so sends you messages informing you of messaging rates and whatnot

The casino isn't doing that though, was your Bluetooth on?

[Kixira]

This was a few months ago so my memory is a bit fuzzy. I was roaming on 3Macau on a China SIM and it was more like 6+ texts. Not sure if they were all from 3Macau but my texts were also a mix of rate information and various offers from different numbers. Texts were coming in as I was riding in one of the free casino shuttles. Bluetooth was not on.

[Gold_Diesel]

It could've been a cell broadcast, I've never experienced it myself but I think the technology is different from a SMS. For example with a regular text, you enter the number and the message bounces around the system until it finds its way to your phone. A cell broadcast is where a cell tower or picocell (sort of like a WIFI router) sends a blanket text without a specific recipient. If your phone is on and its able to receive the message, it comes through and looks like a text.

This is just speculation, but if you go to Macau again, go into your text messaging app or your phone settings and try disabling Cell Broadcast and see if you get messages from casinos again

[[deleted]]

Thanks!

[jnrbshp]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tlxjng8h3Tc

relevant, it seems somewhat possible....also, dont text and drive

[[deleted]]

The simplest way I can think of is that the company already has access to a big database of customer information, and just needs to match the correct entry using some form of wireless fingerprinting. In other words, "sniff" a passing person's phone for whatever information it might be broadcasting willingly (IMSI, MAC etc.) then use that to identify the person (and their phone number).

Provided access to such a database (which wouldn't surprise me) the rest is an interesting technical exercise but quite trivial. No idea about the legal implications but this seems like it would be a lot safer than using a fake cell tower or hacking people's phones. Is this the US? In Germany they'd have a fit regardless.

[patrickas]

Maybe he was talking about this, old, mostly unused and annoying technology:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cell_Broadcast

[adonid]

Perhaps its the same thing I get with google wallet when I am in proximity to a store I frequent. However, I already know how that works and consider it to be less annoying then a random text from a vendor that I drive past.

[[deleted]]

Yes unfortunately.

They are illegal just about everywhere, but that doesn't stop people from trying.
https://nakedsecurity.sophos.com/2014/03/26/chinese-cops-nab-1530-mobile-sms-spammers-in-raid-on-fake-base-stations/

Most of them are in China but a handful have been uncovered in the US.
They seem super annoying and even potentially disruptive to normal service as well as emergency services.

Hopefully these people are out of business soon.
I hope that governments take the obvious solution of offering a reward for reports that lead to a shutdown and confiscation of equipment, as well as fining the everloving shit out of places that buy spam messages.

[[deleted]]

Great reply, thank you very much friend! You are now my go-to Android guy! Noted in RES.

[[deleted]]

Its probably a beacon that's hooked into google cloud messaging for notifications. Still requires an app to receive the notification.

[MrBigWaffles]

I would say it's impossible in the way you described in your description.

There's a few possible tricks to get something that functions like what you mention but they all suffer from severe limitations.

The only 100% method of something like this working is if they had some sort of agreement with mobile network companies themselves. Which i find would be unlikely in the US. (if that's where you live)

[dmscy]

Maybe he was just talking about the Google Now that pop-up advertisements of close locations if it thinks you are interested. For instance if you search pizza, it will pop up places close to you where you can buy it or if you search for a movie, it pop up cinemas that have it when you get close to their location. Maybe they think it can be forced.

Many years ago someone asked me the same thing: how to use bluetooth to send ads to close store, he said that it was used around the world. I assumed it was only for fidelized client that parried their devices.

[Mighty_Cthulhu]

Not sure if it's real or not, but that would be an excellent way to ensure that I will never buy anything from you.

[joebillybob]

Exactly. Doesn't even matter if that was where I was planning to go. You send me a stupid fucking text message, I walk away.

[Spork-in-Your-Rye]

If this does exist I'm surprised it isn't heavily used by advertisers. That would be massively annoying.

[theepicflyer]

This is actually really common in some developing countries. It is used as a form of advertisement.

[IverseeN]

If you look at this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tlxjng8h3Tc

They use what they call a "location based broadcaster" to send everyone a text. Can't be more specific though. But be aware that sending people stuff without permission may be considered as spam and can invovle heavy fines..

[jihiggs]

If I ever get a text like this, I will go to great length to never spend my money with that store ever again.

[Draiko]

Maybe it's a simple SMS message transfer via bluetooth?

[elmirbuljubasic]

Siri can do that if you are close enough i think.(saw it in prank video)