January 30, 2012 – Paul's Tech Talk

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.