Category: Secretgsm.com

The truth about antitap.com, imeichanger.com and secretgsm.com

6/12/2015

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stealth phone scam: antitap.com, imeichanger.com and secretgsm.com

Trying to dismantle the scam behind antitap.com, imeichanger.com and secretgsm.com, we found out the following facts:

Behind all this three scam websites hides an italian scammer
There is no company behind (as trader or manufacturer), but only a guy that buy cheap and sell high, making good money from people
There is no postal address, no phone number and no contact details, all three websites being a classical online scam
There is no company PayPal account, but only a personal PayPal account used to sell the fake products.
There is no "producer" as the scammer states, but only a seller
There is no customer support since the scammer have no clue about how stealth phones work and how cell interception work
There are no product user manuals
There is no general guarantee for any of the products sold on all three websites
All three websites are owned from the beginning by the same italian scammer. The websites was never owned by any "russian guy"
On all three websites are being sold counterfeit stealth phones (IMEI change phones) that does not work as described by the scammer
There are no real anti tapping / anti IMSI catcher / anti interception features on any cell phones that scammer sell, but only words used to fool people, with no factual support
There are no demo movies to show phones functions and capabilities, being fake products
The scammer is selling software applications obtained for free from iTunes and Google Play Store. The applications are pre-installed on the phones he sell, pretending to sell "stealth phones"
The scammer mislead people about real phones capabilities, seriously endangering buyers personal security
There is no "version 4" Samsung stealth phone, being only a hilarious marketing trick used by the scammer to fool uninformed and naive buyers
The scammer has been caught previously, counterfeiting Samsung G600 IMEI stickers, misleading and fooling buyers about "stealth phones" he sell. More info here
All scammer eBay accounts has been successively closed down due to buyers complaints
This scammer has started his mobile phones scams since 2006

More blog entries about the scams on antitap.com, imeichanger.com and gsmsecret.com:

How all this started: previous scams

Please note that most of the screenshots below has been taken from gsmhosting.com forum and few other websites where the scammer is pretty active.

The amateur scammer behind antitap.com, imeichanger.com and secretgsm.com websites is an italian guy that lives in Monaco, sometimes reported in Swiss. He uses the nickname "cryptone" on most forums since 2008, and sometimes "Luca" only on italian forums.

Early years
In his early years he has started his scams as spy-phone software dealer, on the black market. Back in 2008 he deals the illegal software only on italian forums and websites, taking advantages on italian people that - as you probably know from your trips or interactions - are pretty ignorant when it comes to english language. So, they had to pay a price for that ignorance, buying spy-phone software at high rates. As you know, selling and using spy-phone software is considered to be illegal in most of the countries, even when it comes to spy your own wife or child.

antitp.com, imeihnger.com nd secretgsm.com scam

selling illegal spy-phone softwre

Then in 2008 he has discovered gsmhosting.com forum, starting to post offers for spy-phone software.

antitap.com, imeichanger.com and secretgsm.com scam

selling illegal spy-phone software for BlackBerry devices

selling illegal Symbian spy software generator

selling illegal spy software genertor

Like now, the scammer has used in the past multiple sites for selling illegal software:
nokia-spy.com/index.html
bberryspy.com
spyphonegenerator.weebly.com

Nokia 1100 scam, a short story for the scammer

Bank fraud and selling fake phones - this scammer gets in

In case you weren't already convinced of a certain model of Nokia 1100's can be used for bank fraud by reprogramming the phone in a way that allow the attacker to extract your mobile transaction authentication number -- provided you live in a country like Germany or Holland that use mTANs -- and use it to get into your bank account and transfer funds.

So, this opportunity sounds good enough to the scammer to get involved in it, making some money by fooling people. When he first hear of this scam, posted on gsmgosting.com forum that he want to know more about this scam:

scmmer searching info about new scam

In a short time the scammer realize that he can exploit the market demand for Nokia 1100 by buying cheap Nokia 1100 which are not RH 16-18 series, and counterfeit the software or even the backside IMEI label:

scammer attempts to counterfeit Nokia 1100 RH

Because he didn't succeed to counterfeit Nokia 1100 RH by software means, he has simply counterfeit the backside IMEI label:

counterfeiting IMEI label for Nokia 1100

And then he just start selling counterfeit Nokia 1100 on forums, web shops and eBay:

selling counterfeit Nokia 1100

Preparations for change IMEI phones scam

You probably know that the scammer behind antitap.com, imeichanger.com and secretgsm.com is posing now in a security professional, running a bunch of websites and selling high grade security related products pretending that he knows how that products work and how cell phone interception work.
Just to have fun on his approach, vision and knowledge regarding cell phone interception, please have a look below, on how he name an IMSI Catcher or GSM interceptor: "IMEI phishing machine". We think this is self explanatory and need no more proofs about his "professionalism". Do you expect professional customer support when buying and using a stealth phone from this illiterate when it comes to cell phone interception? We hope not.

"IMEI phishing machines". Truly professional

Then suddenly he have heard somehow about dynamic IMEI phones made by XCell Technologies. He couldn't probably afford to buy one to start replicate it, presuming that he know how to do it (which we doubt). So, he started to ask round for similar but cheaper ones:

searching for cheap counterfeit IMEI change phones

Decided to make money from nothing by fooling people, the italian scammer wants to sell even phones that apparently change IMEI (only on phone screen) and not in a real mode. This is yet another proof of the scammer intentions to fool people:

italian scammer looking for a way to fool people with fake IMEI change phones

The real story of antitap.com, imeichnger.com and secretgsm.com:

At this stage, from our records comes out that he contacted a Bulgarian hacker and together they put money and bought an XCell dynamic IMEI phone, whose firmware was hacked and extracted by the Bulgarian hacker. The hacker name is Zlatin Penchev from Stara Zagora, and we have his complete story about how he cracked and extracted the XCell firmware and how starting to sell the cracked (and non working) firmware together with the italian scammer. In fact even the italian scammer admits he worked with a Bulgarian hacker:

Obviously, he didn't lose the Bulgarian hacker contact: the hacker has dumped the scammer just because the scammer has no idea about how stealth phones should be replicated and sold to make some pocket money. So, the scammer has started to figure out by himself how to flash the cracked XCell firmware on a phone, in order to clone a real XCell stealth phone. But seems like his attempts to counterfeit XCell stealth phones were unsuccessful at first, because the scammer does not have the necessary knowledge nor quite right tools.

italian scammer using the cracked firmware on the wrong platform (Samsung G600)

Fake it to make it: please note that the same scammer has been caught in the past using fake G608 IMEI stickers on his fake G600 stealth phones, just to create the appearance of a genuine XCell stealth phone. More about that fake IMEI stickers, here.

italian scammer having no clue (in 2014!) about how to install the cracked firmware on his counterfeit stealth phones

Because of using a cracked and non working firmware installed on the wrong platform (Samsung G600 instead of G608), there are a lot of malfunctions and bugs that starts from the moment of flashing (installing) the firmware on the phone:

italian scammer using cracked (non working) firmware on the wrong platform (G600) is getting bugs and major malunctions

After his own statements, the italian scammer use the same empirical tool (Onenand downloader) to flash the cracked firmware on the phones, as the other scammer sells on eBay along with the cracked firmware (click here for details). So, no wonder that he got burned out his phones:

italian scammer using cracked (non working) firmware on the wrong platform (G600) is getting bugs and major malunctions

Stealth phone scam in progress

Despite the fact that the italian scammer sell counterfeit non working stealth phones, he start advertising on forums about his scam:

italian scammer selling counterfeit stealth phones on his website antitap.com

He also sell counterfeit stealth phones on his main web shops: antitap.com, imeichanger.com and secretgsm.com.

An interesting fact that demonstrates on antitap.com, imeichanger.com and secretgsm.com are being sold counterfeit non working stealth phones: please have a look on the thread dates: since 2013 the scammer sell stealth phones, but in 2014 he still ask for help in flashing stealth firmware on his counterfeit stealth phones. No need for more proofs, scammer own declarations are more than enough to demonstrate the scam.

What other scams can you find on antitap.com, imeichanger.com and secretgsm.com?

Buy cheap, sell high. This seems to be the the guideline followed by the italian scammer. Nothing bad up here, the wrong things and the scam starts when he consider himself nothing but a "legit producer", making confusions between producer and seller. We will not analyze his marketing strategies nor price policy since is not our business. But we will have a look on the products he sell.

Anonymous SIM card scam
We have posted already our conclusions on so called anonymous SIM card, on a previous blog entry. Click here for more details.

Other so called "stealth phones" that he sell
Before talking about other scams, you should know that all Android cell phones that he sell as "stealth phones" are not at all stealth, as scammer claims. The scammer is taking again advantages on unskilled and
unknowledgeable people that have no clue about how cell phone works, how and what a software application can do, selling simple Android phones that the scammer has pre installed several free software applications that can be easily found in abundance on Play Store, by anyone.

Stealth Samsung S4 scam

Stealth Samsung S4 Duos scam.
What the scammer did? Well, he simply installed on a standard Samsung S4 phone, a free app called Private Text Messaging & Calls. This app can be downloaded and used for free, from Play Store. Click here. Why paying more to a scammer since you can have all this for free, on your Android phone?
What else he did? By using copy/paste, he added some text to his website, copied off the Play Store app page. This is how he launched his product called "Samsung S4 stealth Phone". Pretty easy, right? But not smart enough. We really wonder how many naive people he managed to fool until now.

Please note that the phone does not have ANY anti tapping capabilities nor detection of call interception.

Stealth Samsung S5 scam

Stealth Samsung S5 scam.
The same scam as above. The scammer has installed the same app (Private Text Messaging & Calls) on a standard Samsung S5. And nothing more. Download for free the app: click here.

Please note that the phone does not have ANY anti tapping capabilities nor detection of call interception.

Encrypted stealth phone scam

Encrypted smart phone scam
This is actually a very cheap China made cell phone called DOOGEE TITANS DG150 3.5" (can be bought from here with only 75$) which is not encrypted at all, by default. The phone can be encrypted by the user, as any other Android device, for free.
On this device, the italian scammer has installed the same free app called Private Text Messaging & Calls which can be downloaded from Google Play. Click here.
The scammer is selling this device with 450€, making a good profit on ignorant people.

Please note that the phone does not have ANY anti tapping capabilities nor detection of call interception.

Dual SIM stealth phone scam

Entry level dual sim burner phone: a scam.
This is actually a cheap NGM feature phone called Stealth, that can be bought with only £91.00 from here. The italian scammer is selling the device with 250€.
Please note that the device will not alert you when your calls and messages are being intercepted. The scammer just sell lies to you.

Please note that the phone does not have ANY anti tapping capabilities nor detection of call interception.

Stealth iPhone 5 scam
Italian scammer is selling ordinary iPhone 5 phones which he installed a free application called CoverMe Private Texting Messenger, which is similar to
Private Text Messaging & Calls, available for Android devices, being released by the same developer - CoverMe Inc.
You can download and install for free CoverMe Private Texting Messenger for iPhone: click here - iTunes link.
No need to pay 650€ for an ordinary iPhone 5.

Please note that the phone does not have ANY anti tapping capabilities nor detection of call interception.

Ultra Tough Anti Tapping Phone: scam

Ultra Tough Anti Tapping Phone: scam
The so called Anti Tapping phone sold by the italian scammer on his websites (antitap.com, imeichanger.com and secretgsm.com) is actually a cheap Android device made in China by OINOM, which can be purchased with only 299$ from Aliexpress.com: click here. Scammer price: 550€.
The scammer has installed on this phones the same free app called Private Text Messaging & Calls which can be downloaded from Google Play. Click here.

Please note that the phone does not have ANY anti tapping capabilities nor detection of call interception.

VHF Stealth Dual SIM Anti Tapping Phone: scam

VHF Stealth Dual SIM Anti Tapping Phone: scam
This so called Anti Tapping phone is actually a China made Android phone called Snopow M8 which can be bought from Aliexpress.com with only 199$: click here.
Scammer price: 390€.
The scammer has installed on this phones the same free app called Private Text Messaging & Calls which can be downloaded from Google Play. Click here.

Please note that the phone does not have ANY anti tapping capabilities nor detection of call interception.

ZOPO anti interception phone ZP1000 Android: scam

ZOPO anti interception phone ZP1000 Android: scam
This so called "anti interception" phone can be bought for only 172$ from Zopo store: click here.
Scammer price: 399€.
The scammer has installed on this phones the same free app called Private Text Messaging & Calls which can be downloaded from Google Play. Click here.

Please note that the phone does not have ANY anti tapping capabilities nor detection of call interception.

Conclusions

All three examined websites are selling counterfeit and/or non working phones (claimed to be stealth phones), along with free software applications for which the scammer asks for money.
We strongly advise you to keep away from all three websites: antitap.com, imeichanger.com and secretgsm.com. There is nothing that you can buy for your privacy and call security, but only scams and lies.
in case that you been a scam victim on these sites, you might contact us for further assistance.

Our advice: always buy the original. As we did, in the end of the day.

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A comprehensive view on stealth phone scam

6/6/2015

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Last update: 5th July 2015

A counterfeit stealth phone is a ticking bomb in your pocket. Unfortunately you find out that you have been fulled by the scammer when usually is way too late: you "stealth" phone has been wiretapped and you got busted.

Following our investigations carried out in recent months, we have discovered several vendors that sell fake stealth phones. They sell counterfeit stealth phones both on eBay (using multiple accounts and nick-names) and on independent websites.
We present our investigation results, hoping that the following info will be helpful when you decide to buy a stealth phone.

So, we have identified the following scammers:

1 (location: Cork, Ireland)

Name: Dave H., private individual
Current Status: eBay scammer, online classifieds scammer
Fraud: selling fake stealth phones
Assigned Location: Cork, Ireland
Address Information: temporarily unavailable
Additional Info: temporarily unavailable

2 (location: Dublin, Saggart, Ireland)

Name: Spystore Ireland
Current Status: physical store
Fraud: selling fake stealth phones
Assigned Location: Dublin, Ireland
Address Information: Mc Greggor House, The Fairways, Citywest Complex, Saggart, Co. Dublin
Additional Info: temporarily unavailable

3 (location: Naas, Ireland)

Name: lightning lofts (nick name used on classifieds), private individual
Current Status: online classifieds scammer
Fraud: selling fake stealth phones
Assigned Location: Naas, Co. Kildare, Ireland
Address Information: temporarily unavailable
Additional Info: temporarily unavailable

4 (location: Newtownabbey, Northern Ireland, UK)

Name: Sohail Hussain aka Steven Adams (Jd Mobile Unlocking Service, private held company)
Current Status: eBay scammer, online classifieds scammer, online store scammer
Fraud: selling fake stealth phones
Assigned Location: Newtownabbey, County Antrim, Northern Ireland, UK
Address Information: 3 Dillons Grange, Dillons Avenue, Newtownabbey, County Antrim, BT370HU
Additional Info: A simple repair shop guy, that watched way too many 007 movies. fix.mobile.to.work, fixmob_fydy4156obf@members.ebay.co.uk, jdmobileunlockservice, http://gsminterceptor.co.uk/, hello@gsminterceptor.co.uk

SPECIAL NOTE: A "fake it to make it" type of guy. This particular scammer is the actual seller of Siemens S65 stealth phone, on gsminterceptor.co.uk, eBay and other classifieds. Has sold in the past years fake Samsung G600 stealth phones, and now pretends that those phones are good for nothing, totally disregarding his former clients, who have been cheated anyway by buying fake Samsung G600 stealth phones.
This is his newest scam: http://gsminterceptor.co.uk/product/siemens-s65sl75-untraceable-covert-updated-gsm-mobile-stealth-phone/

A funny fact: there is an Youtube movie ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?x-yt-cl=85114404&x-yt-ts=1422579428&v=jddDwzA2pq0 ) where he is trying to tell us that Siemens S65 phones are the best ones and Samsung G600 (and not G608, as genuine XStealth) are not good at all. But in the same time he contiune to sell Samsung G600 stealth phones on his website (http://gsminterceptor.co.uk/product/imei-phone/).

It seems to be the most unimaginative, the most tricky and the most ridiculous of all scammers. Not confined only to deceive buyers, he steal from original stealth phones manufacturer (XCell Technologies) all that he find to fit his needs: text content, technical explanations, photos. Everything for deceiving his customers. Here's what we have discovered, to his shame: he stole the soundtrack from one of the XCell Youtube clips (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rtnc-5PdJ7I). Please notice the specific sound of XCell original intro clip, on the video below:

And here is the video that use the soundtrack stolen by Sohail Hussain:

Stealth phone scam on gsminterceptor.co.uk

Based on his habits, we expect from him to steal even the soundtracks from our Youtube clips. But by far, the worst thing is that he steals money by cheating his customers, selling fake products.

The question is: can you trust someone and buy security from him (stealth phones, etc.), can you put your calls confidentiality in the hands of somebody that lends itself to such petty theft? Of course not. Our advice: avoid shopping from gsminterceptor.co.uk, and anything that is relate to fix.mobile.to.work and jdmobileunlockservice. If you are in doubt, please contact us.

Seems like his customers start to complain about product that he sell: http://forum.gsmhosting.com/vbb/f88/siemens-s65-imei-change-331494/

5 (location: Birmingham UK)

Name: Chow
Current Status: online shop scam (anti-interceptor.com), online classifieds scammer
Fraud: selling fake stealth phones
Assigned Location: Birmingham, UK
Address Information: Birmingham City Centre, West Midlands, UK
Additional Info: anti-interceptor.com, big-boyz-toyz, gadgetboy1979@gmail.com

Stealtth phones scam on anti-interceptor.com

Stealth phones scam on anti-interceptor.com

Looks like some anti-interceptor.com buyers has finally figured out that the fake phones sold by this scammer does not work:

Complaint against anti-interceptor.com fake stealth phones Click here for more info.

6 (location: Thetford, Norfolk, UK)

Name: jaaamm1976 (nickname)
Current Status: eBay scammer, online classifieds scammer
Fraud: selling fake stealth phones
Assigned Location: Thetford, Norfolk, United Kingdom
Address Information: temporarily unavailable
Additional Info: temporarily unavailable

7 (location: Wirral, Merseyside, UK)

Name: mobile.phones.2u (nickname)
Current Status: eBay scammer, online classifieds scammer
Fraud: selling fake stealth phones
Assigned Location: Wirral, Merseyside, UK
Address Information: temporarily unavailable
Additional Info: temporarily unavailable

8 (location: Manchester, UK)

Name: auction2home (eBay nickname)
Current Status: eBay scammer, online classifieds scammer
Fraud: selling fake stealth phones
Assigned Location: Manchester, UK
Address Information: temporarily unavailable
Additional Info: temporarily unavailable

9 (location: Monaco, Monaco)

Name: Vittorio Ossola aka Luca (on italian forums) or Cryptone (on forum.gsmhosting.com)
Current Status: eBay scammer, online classifieds scammer, online shop scam
Fraud: selling fake stealth phones
Assigned Location: Monaco, Monaco
Address Information: temporarily unavailable
Additional Info: www.secretgsm.com, antitap.com, imeichanger.com, Bergamo, Lodi, Swiss.

Stealth phones scam on secretgsm.com

More blog entries about the scams on antitap.com, imeichanger.com and gsmsecret.com:

10 (location: Ural, Krasnoyarskiy Kray, Russian Federation)

Name: Vasili Loginov
Current Status: online classifieds scammer
Fraud: selling fake stealth phones
Assigned Location: Ural, Russian Federation.
Address Information: Ural, Krasnoyarskiy Kray, Russian Federation
Additional Info: temporarily unavailable

11 (location: Monaco, Italy)

Name: Vittorio Ossola aka Luca (on italian forums) or Cryptone (on forum.gsmhosting.com)
Current Status: eBay scammer, online classifieds scammer, online shop scam
Fraud: selling fake stealth phones
Assigned Location: Monaco, Monaco
Address Information: temporarily unavailable
Additional Info: www.secretgsm.com, antitap.com, imeichanger.com, Bergamo, Lodi, Swiss.
He own www.secretgsm.com, antitap.com, imeichanger.com

Stealth phones scam on antitap.com

We have found a funny marketing strategy used by this particular scammer. Back in 2013, on a strange promotion on his eBay page, Mr. Ossola Vittorio (aka agte062010 or cryptphone - few of his eBay accounts) has offering a funny bundle: a fake stealth phone, a doggy anonymous SIM card and... a t-shirt. We wonder what was the text on the shirt? "I'm cool because I can not be intercepted?" attracting this way the law enforcement agencies attention?
Please notice that we have already warn you about this particular scammer, a while ago. Please read here.

Stealth phones scam on eBay, by antitap.com

This is what we have found on the Internet, by searching data about imeichanger.com:

Stealth phones scam on imeichanger.com

More blog entries about the scams on antitap.com, imeichanger.com and gsmsecret.com:

12 (location: Czech Republic)

Name: SHX Trading S.R.O.
Current Status: Alibaba.com scammer, online shop scam
Fraud: selling counterfeit stealth phones
Assigned Location: Czech Republic
Address Information: Svatoslavova 17, Praha 4, Czech Republic
Additional Info: http://stealthtronic.com, http://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/Stealth-Mobile-untraceable-cell-phone-change_170458198.html

Stealth phones scam on stealthtronic.com, by SHX Trading SRO

Stealthtronic.com: stealth phone scam in progress:

Stealth phones scam on Alibaba.om, by Stealthtronic.com

As you can already see, this scammers are using a product picture that is not a Samsung device but a Sony Ericsson, misleading or (better case) confusing their buyers.
On their website, they pretend to "manufactures variety of security and surveillance products", which in fact are not made or at least assembled in Czech Republic.
A brief look at the products list sold on website, will clarify that all products are manufactured by Chinese companies, and not by SHX Trading SRO. When it comes to security products, misleading customers is a practice not only wrong, but also reprehensible.

13 (location: Philippines)

Name: AUDIO VIDEO INTELLIGENCE CORPORATION. (AVI)
Current Status: Alibaba.com scammer, online shop scam
Fraud: selling counterfeit stealth phones
Assigned Location: Manila, Philippines
Address Information: 61 WEST CAPITOL DR. PASIG METRO MANILA
Additional Info: http://bobster.fm.alibaba.com/

Audio video intelligence corporation stealth phones scam, on Alibaba.com

14 (location: Lithuania)

Name: danielius2010 (eBay account)
Current Status: eBay scammer
Fraud: selling fake stealth phone firmware
Assigned Location: Lithuania
Address Information: temporarily unavailable
Additional Info: eBay account

eBay scammer danielius2010, selling fake Samsung stealth firmware

15 (location: United Kingdom)

Name: swetroop (eBay account)
Current Status: eBay scammer
Fraud: selling fake stealth phone firmware
Assigned Location: London, UK
Address Information: temporarily unavailable
Additional Info: eBay account

eBay scammer swetroop, selling counterfeit Samsung G600 stealth phones

16 (location: Taiwan ROC)

Name: OneTech International Co. LTD (website)
Current Status: online scammer
Fraud: selling fake stealth phone firmware
Assigned Location: Taiwan, ROC
Address Information: 15F - 7, No.3, Lane 226, Sec 2 of Round West Road , Chungli City, Taoyuan County
Additional Info: selling also illegal software as spy phone generator software

OneTech International Co. selling counterfeit stealth phones

OneTech International Co. Taiwan, selling counterfeit stealth phones

OneTech International Co. Taiwan, using stolen images and text from x-cellular.com

Located in Taiwan ROC, the scam company is selling counterfeit stealth phones on www.onetech.com.tw
Pretending to be a "Worldwide business experience you can trust", this company is selling fake stealth phones, using on the website stolen text and pictures from the original manufacturer, XCell Technologies. All other products sold on the website are also questionable. Our recommendation: just avoid this website.

Update 21.10.2015

17 (location: Germany, UK, The Netherlands)

Name: blackstone-security.jimdo.com
Current Status: online scammer / eBay scammer
Fraud: selling fake stealth phone firmware
Assigned Location: Germany, UK, The Netherlands
Address Information: 27 Old Gloucester Street, London, WC1N 3AX
Additional Info: related to Mainland & Affiliates AG Limited. Selling fake stealth phones on eBay as www-kpex-de

Stealth phone scam on blackstone-security.jimdo.com

A comprehensive approach on stealth phones scam

What other tricks they use?

1. "Updated version" and "v4" trick

Trying to sell an outdated, unstable and cracked version of stealth phone, a few sellers are using some ridiculous tricks, thinking that they would fool the buyers.

Borrowing random phrases and words from marketing techniques, they try to present their cracked version of stealth phone as an "updated" one. In fact what they sell it is an old cracked and unstable version. Of course, next to the "updated" you will find the current year, to maximize the scam effects.

"Updated version" trick (gsminterceptor.co.uk)

"Updated" trick on antitap.com

The guy behind antitap.com, imeichanger.com and secretgsm.com has "updated" his scam in May 2015, due to XCell Dynamic IMEI v3 new release. Now he sell no more than "v4" stealth phone version, a nonsense with no factual support.

"V4" cheap trick and stealth phones scam on antitap.com

Why this? Well, there is a simple and straight forward explanation: since XCell Technologies has recently released the real v3 Stealth Phone (please see their promo video), the scammer think that by simply claiming that he sell the newest version (v4), he will boost his sales. Since XCell Technologies - the real manufacturer - is clearly showing what the differences are between previous version (v2) an actual version (v3) on their videos (video 1, video 2) and webpage, the scammer is just stating that he sell v4 version. Only words with no facts behind. Not even a few pictures to support false claims. Moreover, he has used the same stolen pictures on phone description (please note that picture shadow used by XCell Technologies).
Just to have fun on what he will find appropriate to explain in what exactly consist the changes that his "v4" is having you might challenge him to reply to your questions. Because we did and we had a lot of fun.
Read more here.

As a conclusion, what you should be sure is that there is no real "v4" version, but only words, a ridiculous and strange marketing strategy to sell something fake and obsolete.Please note that the only software updates are made available to the general public on the original manufacturer's website (XCell Technologies), on News section. Actual version: 3.0.

Just to have a little bit fun with the scammers, you can try to ask about previous versions, in what exactly consists the current updates and bugs that have been fixed. Being neither programmers nor engineers, you will definitely have fun on their responses, as we did ourselves.

More blog entries about the scams on antitap.com, imeichanger.com and gsmsecret.com:

2. SMS encryption software trick

These scammers claim that they sell some kind of bundle, a "stealth phone" having installed a software application that encrypts SMS. This is not a lie. But think about it: what to do with just a single phone that has an encryption application installed ?! SMS software encryption apps only works in tandem: first one encrypts and the other one decrypts the ciphertext sent by the first app. It's that simple.You will need at least two phones that use the same software, so that one phone will send an encrypted SMS, and the other one will receive it, will decrypt and it will display the SMS in plain text format. By buying a single phone with a single software application, SMS encryption is absolutely useless.

3. Fake product reviews

Proving a poor knowledge of his own website and confusing the website and blog notions (is having mitigating circumstances, being only a repair shop guy), Mr. Chow (anti-interceptor.com owner) has inserted fake product reviews, as blog entries: many "clients" (no doubt, fake buyers) refers in a funny way to blog and not to the product that they eventually bought, (have fun here). But surprise: on the blog page, instead of a proper blog you will find a product presentation page. So what blog are "clients" talking about? How funny can that be? And how dumb can be? You will appreciate. Obviously it is all a hoax, a scam designed to mislead customers who do not have enough information about stealth phones and especially for those that are looking for cheap prices.
By the way, try to post something. Anything. And check up the result. Have fun.

Fake stealth phones reviews on anti-interceptor.com

4. Why there are no videos certifying that the phone work?

XCell Technologies and their authorized resellers are the only ones who have posted videos demonstrating that the special functions of the phone are working.
Why not these vendors do the same? The answer is simple: the fake stealth phones special functions simply does not work as described. It is not hard to find a SIM card that is intercepted and then make a film. Even for us was pretty easy to do that: you can watch the movie made with an authentic XCell Dynamic IMEI v2 Stealth Phone.

5. Siemens S65/SL75/r32 stealth phone legal issue and other problems

Before talking about Siemens legal issues, we have to talk about the phone capabilities. Assuming (pretty unlikely) that the scammer would sell the original version (by the way, the authentic Siemens S65/SL75 version is developed and sold by Endoacustica at 5000 euro) , here are the necessary observations about this phone:
Supposing that this phone works as described, IMEI change being not reversible is not at all an advantage, as it strives to explain the scammer in several of his Youtube films. Here's why:
From technical point of view, for an GSM Interceptor does not matter whether the phones will change its IMEI temporarily or permanently. Called also IMSI Catcher, for an GSM Interceptor are important only the IMEI and IMSI that are "captured". Depending on captured IMEI and IMSI, the phone calls will be intercepted. An GSM Interceptor does not care whether an IMEI is or is not reversible. Simple as that.
Obviously, in this case the explanations about interception and how can this be avoided are being served with "professionalism" by a... repair shop guy. Its ridiculous explanations derives from a very low level of technical understanding of the whole interception phenomenon. The risk of giving ridiculous explanations on the subject of which you have no idea, is a pretty big one. Claiming that irreversible IMEI change is crucial throughout interception equation, the repair shop guy does not know that IMEI and IMSI are captured off the air by any GSM Interceptor, no matter if the IMEI is or is not reversible. He probably imagine that GSM Interceptor will somehow knock on the door and will asks the target to show the phone and the associated IMEI. Only in this case (which is obviously impossible), an irreversible IMEI can save the situation. You can easily recognise the wrong approach of a repair shop guy when it comes about cellular interception.
But let's analyze Siemens S65/SL75, the "Untraceable Covert Updated" phone (as the scammer advertise), assuming that it is not a counterfeit one. All this phone can do is to modify its IMEI at every SIM replacement, or after every call or SMS (actually only the scammer claim this, but these functions are not backed by any video whatsoever). Changing IMEI is pretty much what this phone can do. And nothing more. Compared with Siemens S65/SL75, XCell Stealth Phone has several criterias for IMEI change: it can change its IMEI with the one chosen by the user (user defined), or only at the first connection on the network (on reboot), and original IMEI can be restored anytime, which obviously is a major advantage. Of course, XCell Stealth Phone has more useful features, that makes it a true stealth phone: call interception alert, location tracking alerts, channel blocking function (ARFCN) to prevent eavesdropping by silently sliding to a GSM Interceptor, location spoofing function, displaying the TMSI value (a handy test to detect interception), phone calls audio recording and automatically delete calls list.
It’s hard to argue with this facts, claiming that a Siemens phone is a better choice than an XCell Stealth Phone, which is having more special features, is more secure and is simply the best in branch. No doubt, the repair shop guy marketing strategy has failed.
Our advice for this guy is to limit himself to phone unlocking and repairing (which he does it on a daily basis), and let's interception and phone security related issues on specialists account. And especially to stop selling fake stealth mobile phones.

The legal issue

It is illegal to use this change IMEI phone in UK and in most of the EU countries.
Why? Because there is a law saying that you can not modify phones IMEI. And Siemens S65 is not preserving the genuine IMEI as XCell phone does. You cannot restore the original IMEI (as XCell Stealth Phones does), which will put you straight on the other side of the law.

Just have a look what Staffordshire Police says about changing IMEI: this practice is illegal and only the manufacturers are allowed to alter it. We quote from what Police say:

" 1(1) A person commits an offence if:

he changes a unique device identifier,
he interferes with the operation of a unique device identifier,
he offers or agrees to change, or interfere with the operation of, a unique device identifier, or
he offers or agrees to arrange for another person to change, or interfere with the operation of, a unique device identifier.

2(1) A person commits an offence if:

he has in his custody or under his control anything which may be used for the purpose of changing or interfering with the operation of a unique device identifier and
he intends to use the thing unlawfully for that purpose or to allow it to be used unlawfully for that purpose.

2(2) A person commits an offence if:

he supplies anything which may be used for the purpose of changing or interfering with the operation of a unique device identifier, and
he knows or believes that the person to whom the thing is supplied intends to use it unlawfully for that purpose or to allow it to be used unlawfully for that purpose.

2(3) A person commits an offence if:

he offers to supply anything which may be used for the purpose of changing or interfering with the operation of a unique device identifier, and
he knows or believes that the person to whom the thing is offered intends if it is supplied to him to use it unlawfully for that purpose or to allow it to be used unlawfully for that purpose.

2(4) A unique device identifier is an electronic equipment identifier which is unique to a mobile wireless communications device.

2(5) A thing is used by a person unlawfully for a purpose if in using it for that purpose he commits an offence under section 1."

Please note that using XCell Dynamic IMEI Stealth Phones is perfectly legal since this phones does not change IMEI for good, this process being reversible by "Stay original" IMEI function.

6. What other products are being sold by scammers?

In addition to stealth phones, these scammers sell so-called "encrypted" phones. What are these? Well, these are simple Android phones having installed various software applications (many of them are even free), and which have been encrypted by the seller by a simple and free operation. Encrypting an Android phone is a simple operation that anyone can do without having to pay anything extra. More information here. You can find plenty of free voice and SMS encryption applications by simply visiting Google Play Store. Some examples here. Why pay thousands of euro if you can do it for yourself, for free? Why buy a Blackberry encrypted smartphone (encrypted by other person) and paying a thousand euro, when you can simply use Blackberry Enterprise Service, directly from BlackBerry website?
One more thing: an encrypted cell phone is not at all a stealth phone. Does not have any stealth features, as scammers are trying to convince you, by wrongly using terms as "encrypted stealth phone".

We are going to post a separate thread about anonymous (pre-paid) SIM card scam.

7. No customer service, no technical support, no after sales support, no product guarantee, no user manual

It's a kind of hit and run business. These scammers have no theoretical or practical knowledge about methods, ways and means of cellular interception, nor the principles of a GSM network. Most of them are simple repair shop guys, they only know about phone unlocking, firmware flashing, minor repairs, parts replacement, and that's pretty much all they know. Try to ask them about how the cellular interception work and how stealth phones that they sell, detects interception. You will be amused by the replies coming from them, if you will be lucky enough to get a reply. You may ask them about how location spoofing work (Channel lock function). Being a sensitive topic, XCell Technologies didn't make public this information which is available only for those who bought an XCell Stealth Phone. For this reason the customer service that scammers should deliver to the buyers, is nonexistent. Also, there is no user manual, nu support for any customer questions. Nothing else but lies or silence.

Because of scammers lack of knowledge regarding cellular interception techniques, we have discovered a funny fact: both scammers ( Sohail Hussain - gsminterceptor.co.uk and Vittorio Ossola - antitap.com) has copied one from another the description of the product they sell, or (most likely) both of them has copied the text content from the original manufacturer's website, XCell Technologies. Have a look on pictures below.

Copied text on both scammers website

1 Comment

Free Samsung G600 Stealth Firmware, 7 functions

6/2/2015

3 Comments

free Samsung G600 stealth firmware 7 functions

This software is being distributed as a research material and teaching tool for security purposes, and not as a working software. Can not be considered under any circumstances as malware distribution. The real malware distributors that are selling counterfeit stealth phones made based on the suh software are: antitap.com, imeichanger.com, secretgsm.com, gsm-interceptor.co.uk, eBay scammers and others.
This software is provided "as is" and "with all faults." We makes no representations or warranties of any kind concerning the safety, suitability, lack of viruses, inaccuracies, typographical errors, or other harmful components of this software. There are inherent dangers in the use of any software, and you are solely responsible for determining whether this software is compatible with your equipment and other software installed on your equipment. You are also solely responsible for the protection of your equipment and backup of your data, and we will not be liable for any damages you may suffer in connection with using, modifying, or distributing this software.
USE OF SOFTWARE INDICATES YOUR ACCEPTANCE OF THE TERMS OF THIS AGREEMENT, IF YOU DO NOT AGREE TO ALL THESE TERMS DO NOT INSTALL OR USE THE SOFTWARE.

We offer for free the firmware (Stealth Anti Tapping Samsung G600 firmware 7 functions) that we've bought from an eBay seller, but before downloading please read the text below. Downloading link at the end of this post.

A counterfeit stealth phone (made up by using cracked firmware) is a ticking bomb in your pocket. Unfortunately you find out that you have been fulled by the scammer when usually is way too late: you "stealth" phone has been wiretapped and you got busted.

The story

Back in 2013, some scammers has sold on eBay an older version of the XCell firmware called "Stealth Samsung G600 firmware 7 functions". Of course a cracked version, unlicensed and especially a non-working one: once installed on a Samsung G600, the phone freezes and a black screen appear. Causes were the wrong indication by installing the firmware on Samsung G600 and not G608, and that the broken version lacks some external files that a full dump cannot achieve. Of course, the lack of hardware modifications necessary to the proper functioning was leading in the end, to an unusable and faulty phone.

Not to mention that not incidentally, JD Unlocking Services (interceptor.co.uk gsm) was no stranger to this scam: he was one of those which sell XCell cracked firmware, along with the device needed to install the firmware on the phone. All priced at £ 3,000.
One by one, eBay accounts were closed down following complaints of deceived buyers.

The newcomer : even worse than his predecessors

In early 2015 has appeared a newcomer on eBay, a scammer that sell the same cracked XCell Stealth Samsung G600 firmware 7 functions. Same scam, same fraud, same wrong installation indications regarding Samsung G600. Of course, the same result: the phone does not work. Only the price is different (and kinda desperate): $49.00.

Stealth phone Samsung G600 firmware scam

Looking more like making some pin money or a doggy sale than a business, a very low price reveals from the beginning that it is a scam or in the best case, a desperate sale of something that worth nothing.
The single way to clear up the situation was pretty much straight forward: we have bought the firmware and we have tested it after installing following scammer indications, on Samsung G600.

Please note that this kind of scammers frequently change eBay accounts by adding new ones, since the old accounts are being successively closed down due to buyers complaints or even by the scammer itself, just to cover up his traces.

stealth phone firmware Samsung G600 7 functions

Stealth phone firmware scam, Samsung G600 firmware 7 functions scam

The firmware

The file is called "G600 full dump 7.bin" which reveals how the firmware was extracted from the phone: using a Z3X Box or NSPro and "full dump" function (read firmware). Please note that the latest versions of XCell Dynamic IMEI v2 Stealth Phone is no longer vulnerable to attack via USB, a full dump being impossible because of active security filters.
To clarify the cracked firmware version sold by scammer, we proceeded to analyze the source code. What we have found we didn't liked at all:

Samsung G600 stealth phone firmware 7 functions that contains malware

Samsung G600 stealth phone firmware 7 unctions

Samsung G600 stealth phone firmware 7 functions that contains malware, sending SMS to premium rates numbers

The cracked firmware contains several added command lines that will send SMS to premium rate numbers, generating costs when using the phone.

We have also discovered the error that makes the interception alerts (detecting lack of A5/1 and A5/2 encryption) to not work:

Stealth phone firmware Samsung G600, non functional due to wrong cracking and recompiling

This change was probably made only to maintain appearance of firmware functionality, by displaying on the main screen those alert icons, without being functional itself (no network protocol).

The refund

Obviously, after a few hours from purchase we've got a quick refund from scammer, without asking any questions. Probably he is afraid of account suspended or closed, following complaints.

The scammer has refund the money following our complaints

Samsung g600 stealth phones firmware 7 functions

The conclusion

Instead of trying cheap tricks by using cracked software to "defend" your privacy, you better use licensed software and genuine products. Counterfeit products has never deliver real security. When it comes about your calls security, thing are even more sensitive an you have to use only trusted products.

A counterfeit stealth phone is a ticking bomb in your pocket. Unfortunately you find out that you have been fulled by the scammer when usually is way too late: you "stealth" phone has been wiretapped and you got busted.

To not go through eBay's refund procedure or escalating claim, we offer you for free this firmware, as were sold by scammer:

DOWNLOAD NOW

If the firmware from the first link does not work, try this one:

DOWNLOAD NOW

Why do we do this?

The reason why we offer this firmware for free, is fighting counterfeiting. You can try this firmware on your own phone, just to experience a cracked firmware. We will not be held responsible for any loss, incidental or consequential damage, or loss arising out of installation and firmware use. You install the software at your own risk.

Also, probably some other "entrepreneur" will buy this cracked firmware and it will resell it not with $49, but with $19. And the next one will resell it only with $5. So we have not taken it step by step: we burned stages and we offer you for free this firmware.

Our advice

Our advice is a pretty simple and effective one: always use the original.

Update:

This scammer has added on eBay the same fake firmware, at lower price. This time, only $25. Also, he changed his location to Germany.

samsung g600 stealth phone irmware 7 functions

Samsung G600 stealth phone firmware scam, on eBay

Update 1.07.2015:
We have identified another scammer on eBay, selling fake Samsung G600 stealth firmware.

danielius2010 Located in Lithuania, selling fake Samsung G600 stealth firmware on eBay:

eBay scammer danielius2010, selling fake G600 stealth firmware

3 Comments

Anonymous SIM card scam

5/31/2015

14 Comments

Anonymous SIM cards: are really anonymous?

Well, the list of so-called benefits of using an anonymous SIM card is apparently quite long, as the scammers pretend:
- Calls can be made or received from anywhere in the world. Full list of countries (it's not every single country included, we just let you know) is offered to the buyer only after payment. Which obviously is an unfair approach.
- No deposits.
- No ID required.
- Without full written requests.
- No monthly bills.
- Additional SIM cards available at the same price.
- Online top-up at anytime.

All above mentioned are true. But not these "advantages" consists the scam.
These are actually the standard features of a prepaid SIM card. In fact, anonymous SIM cards are nothing but prepaid SIM cards purchased from countries where you do not need an ID to purchase a SIM and international roaming charges are relatively low. In general these SIM cards come from Asian countries and some EU countries including Belgium, Denmark, Cyprus, Estonia, Latvia, Czech Republic, Finland, Lithuania, Romania, .Bulgaria, Andorra, Monaco, Belarus etc.
This business has a relatively success only in countries that can not be purchased a prepaid SIM card without showing an photo ID. Not just scammers but even serious and reputable companies rely on such scams, unfortunately.

Anonymous SIM cards are really anonymous? The short answer: are not at all anonymous.
Extended answer: a prepaid SIM card is anonymous only to the common people who can not find easy the SIM user details. A simple phone number will not lead to user identification unless he will make serious mistakes or if it does not intend to protect his identity. If the SIM card is used for a sufficiently long period (months or years), there is a possibility that the user identity to be determined by using simple investigative techniques, which are readily available to every detective or skilled people.

But when it comes to the law enforcement agencies that will want to find a prepaid ("anonymous") SIM card user's identity, the situation changes radically: no chance to hide your identity. Whether using the network operator or through lawful interception systems, finding the identity of any prepaid SIM user is a matter of a few days or even hours.

What exactly can not hide an "anonymous" SIM card?

- Can not hide the phone location and default user. The explanation is simple: to be used (to make any calls), any SIM card have to register on the local GSM network, no matter the country and carrier that issued the SIM. This means that the SIM card will be permanently connected to the GSM network. The operator can quickly perform localization procedures (GSM triangulation), at the law enforcement request. In urban locations the location tracking accuracy is 50 meters or less. Moreover, there are plenty of GSM interceptors that are having location tracking capabilities.
If the situation requires, the suspect can be identified, located and arrested based on location tracking.

- Voice calls, SMS and data traffic cannot be hidden. When an anonymous SIM card user will attract the law enforcement agencies attention, that particular user will not be anonymous anymore: they will know the call list, voice calls content, text content of SMS, persons with whom he communicated, will would make a profile of the target user based on its habits an communications pattern, etc. And all this after a few days of using the "anonymous" SIM card.
Depending on performance of GSM interception systems and network equipment, law enforcement agencies and the carrier will have access to various data: target GPS location (more accurate than GSM location), phone book, data traffic etc.

At this point you can draw a conclusion: an anonymous SIM card is not at all anonymous. The fact that the average person can not find information about the prepaid SIM user, does not make that SIM to be anonymous. Without hiding around the bush any user of such a SIM card is hoping not only to remain anonymous to the average Joe, but also to stay anonymous to the law enforcement agencies. Is that possible? Not at all.
Basically, selling prepaid SIM cards pretending to be anonymous SIM cards is just another scam, and resembles (in a funny way) selling a nanny cam as a spy cam. Which you have to agree, is hilarious.

Untraceable SIM card scam, on antitap.com

More blog entries about the scams on antitap.com, imeichanger.com and gsmsecret.com:

14 Comments

Another seller, busted: fake stealth phones for sale

5/31/2015

0 Comments

This time: the guy behind imeichanger.com, secretgsm.com and antitap.com

Article disclaimer:
All data and information provided on this article is for informational purposes only, being widely available and collected off the Internet. We have taken website screenshots that might not be available at the time you read this blog entry, being removed by the website owner. All information is provided on an as-is basis. Read our Blog disclaimer.

The reputation (which we doubt that even exist before by some certain reasons) of antitap.com, imeichanger.com and secretgsm.com has been irremediably lost by these dirty actions of the guy behind these sites. We strongly recommend to avoid this websites.

The websites owner got caught using fake IMEI labels to fool the buyers that he sell proper and working stealth phones, and because of that he removed the pictures off his websites. That was too late, we have recorded him as scammer and all proofs are posted below and will remain available on our website, for anyone who wants to know the truth about this particular scammer.

Counterfeit stealth phone by antitap.com

We have discovered recently another website that is offering "stealth phones" on cheap prices. Apparently, this vendor is selling stealth phones that comes on the right platform: G608.

A fake IMEI sticker, for a fake stealth phone. By antitap.com

Getting IMEI from a fake stealth phone The thing that caught our attention in the mention "ANTITAP" on the back label, as you can see in the screenshot attached. Being an unusual and irregular mention on any mobile phone label and even more for a phone produced by Samsung, we proceeded to investigate this inscription. Thus, we used a software application called Barcode Scanner (an Android application freely available on Play Store) for reading bar code label. You can do this as well.

The IMEI barcode shows the fake label: Samsung G600, and not G608. Busted.

By scanning the bar code directly from our PC screen, we've got this result: The digits you can see in the photo above are just the phone IMEI. This bar code containing phone IMEI is present on any mobile phone.
We've proceeded further, in order to identify the phone model, by correlating IMEI that appears on the label. By parsing the IMEI code on a online IMEI analysing tool (www.imei.info), we've got this result:

Checking fake IMEI

Checking up the IMEI:

And surprise: IMEI belongs to Samsung G600. Busted! So, the IMEI claimed to belong to a Samsung G608 actually belongs to a Samsung G600, which is the wrong platform used by scammers to sell fake stealth phones. Simple as that.

A genuine Samsung G600 back label looks like this:

Proper Samsung S/N: 11 digit

Please note the structure of Serial Number: 11 digit, as Samsung official says.

We did not stop there and asked an Samsung official about this label (IMEI and S/N). Here is his response: samsung_reply.pdf Download File

SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO.,LTD.
416 Maetan3-Dong Yeongtong-gu, Suwon city, Gyeonggi-Do, Korea 442-742

Date: Jan12, 2015

RE: Request of Information for IMEI 355683044004277

To: Mr. XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The IMEI 355683044004277 belongs to an Samsung SGH-G600 that was produced by Samsung Electronics in 2007.

The serial number R1VPANTITAP is wrong an is not specific to Samsung S/N. Serial numbers used for Samsung G600 and Samsung G608 series are having 11 (eleven) digit, a sequence of letters and numbers but not only letters.

We are happy to assist you in your academic study. Please do not hesitate to contact us for further assistance.

Sincerely,
SEOUNG HO PARK
SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO.,LTD.

We also find that FCC ID A3LSGHG606 from that fake Samsung G608 belongs actually to Samsung G600:

FCC ID belongs to Samsung G600

This particular scammer is trying to fool buyers and taking advantage of the lack of information of most of you, when it comes to special mobile phones called stealth phones. This scammer sell fake stealth phones, making them to look like original ones (XCell) by sticking a false label on the back of the phone. And nothing more. No hardware modifications, no filters, nothing that can be named a real and working stealth phone.

Moreover, this scammer is trying to convince the website visitors and potential buyers that Samsung Electronics has built the "stealth phone" that he sell. Nothing could be more wrong: Samsung has never built stealth phones but only regular cellular phones.
The real IMEI change stealth phones are being built based on a patent that belong to XCell Technologies, the manufacturer company. The phones are manufactured only by XCell Technologies and sold directly to consumers or through various resellers and regional dealers, under various brand names or even as no name stealth phones for discrete use, considering XCell reputation and brand awareness.
You can easily identify a real XCell stealth phone by checking up the security seal and other things mentioned in the previous post.

Conclusions

If the low price is the only choice maker, you should think once again before buying a cheap stealth phone from a dubious seller: is that you want? A fake stealth phone is as useful as a real one? It will work the same? Will really protect your privacy? The answers are found in comparative tests presented in the previous post.

And not at last: our advice is just to avoid www.imeichanger.com and secretgsm.com, if you really care of your calls privacy.

Fake Samsung G608 sold by antitap.com

Update 30.05.2015:
The websites owner (imeichanger.com, antitap.com and secretgsm.com) has removed by some obvious reasons (he got caught using fake IMEI labels to fool the buyers that he sell proper and working stealth phones) the pictures that shows fake IMEI sticker. Right now he is only stating that the phones he sell are Samsung G608, as you can see on above screenshot.

Just for your own knowledge, if you want to challenge this scammer to disclose the real Samsung platform, you might ask him certain questions. Please contact us for further information.

Another hilarious and cheap trick used by this funny scammer (trick actually used before by the same person) is pretending out of the blue that he sell nothing but IMEI stealth Phone v4 (?!). Why this? Well, there is a simple and straight forward explanation: since XCell Technologies has recently released the real v3 Stealth Phone (please see their promo video), the scammer think that by simply claiming that he sell the newest version (v4), he will boost his sales. Since XCell Technologies - the real manufacturer - is clearly showing what the differences are between previous version (v2) an actual version (v3) on their videos (video 1, video 2) and webpage, the scammer is just stating that he sell v4 version. Only words with no facts behind. Not even a few pictures to support false claims. Moreover, he has used the same stolen pictures on phone description (please note that picture shadow used by XCell Technologies).
Just to have fun on what he will find appropriate to explain in what exactly consist the changes that his "v4" is having you might challenge him to reply to your questions. Because we did and we had a lot of fun.

As a conclusion, what you should be sure is that there is no real "v4" version, but only words, a ridiculous and strange marketing strategy to sell something fake and obsolete.

Fake v4 version sold by antitap.com

Here is the real and the latest version of stealth phone developed by the genuine manufacturer, XCell Technologies. Please note the clearly spotted differences between the latest version (v3) an the previous one:

What else?
Well, as before there is no product manual, but only few heterogeneous and promiscuous explanations copied off the XCell website. Because XCell Technologies has understood do not disclose some crucial functions and how to be used to general public but only to its users, the scammer that have no clue about how the phone work and how cell phone interception is actually performed, has simply skipped the explanations about Channel lock and Unping functions. Also, he have no clue about how to proper use the IMEI change function. Actually there is no user instructions but only a promiscuous and hard to understand phone description. The conclusions are yours, and are more than relevant.

Following our investigations, we found that the website is run by a private person. There is no company behind website. Hence the risk of buying off this site any products offered for sale. On Contact page there is only a contact form, with no postal address or other details regarding company location, things which should arouse suspicions straight away, to anyone. No wonder this scammer is confusing a website with the company itself, which beyond being a funny approach it relives his business understanding. We'll be back with more info.

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The truth exposed: Stealth Phones, fake vs. real ones

5/30/2015

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The ultimate test
Before reading any explanation, please watch the video footage below. It is self explanatory.
This is the supreme test that any scammer or fake stealth phones vendor will hide from you.

The video contains a test done with a SIM card that was intercepted (taped) at that time, tested on two stealth phones (aka change IMEI phones, untraceable phones or dynamic IMEI phones) that looks the same but
are essentially different: a fake and a real one.

First we have tested the fake stealth phone. Although the SIM card was intercepted, no call interception alarm was triggered.
The second time we have tested the intercepted SIM card on a real stealth phone. Interception alarm was triggered as soon as the SIM card has been inserted into the phone. Also during the call was displayed call interception alarm: an open padlock red that persists throughout the call.

Preliminaries.

We are a team of three mobile communications professionals from an European University. Read more about us.

Elaborating an academic study about security of mobile communications, our team bought among others a stealth phone via the Internet, as anyone else would do: by choosing the lowest price. We regretted this later, because at that time the low price was only one that made the difference.

Our case.

Current market shows a relative abundance of stealth phones, most of them sold by private individuals on traditional online sales channels (Internet consumer-to-consumer direct sales). A person interested in buying such a phone is no doubt attracted by the lower price, as the only selection criterion, in the absence of significant information about stealth phones and how mobile wiretap works.
Many buyers have already made this wrong choice, and now their mobile calls security is seriously affected. Why? Because they bought a cell phone that just looks like a stealth phone without actually having stealth phone functions: only apparently stealth functions are present on the phone, but they do not work properly, as vendors claim.
Why this situation? Because a stealth phone needs not only special software, but also substantial hardware changes that make the software run properly. Both software and hardware changes are patented by a Swiss based company, XCell Technologies LLC. This company (and their resellers and distributors) are only able to deliver a true stealth phone, 100% functional.
From technical explanations provided by the company representatives we understand that malfunction also come from the wrong choice of phone platform. While legitimate manufacturer use Samsung G608 platform, those fake stealth phones use cheaper Samsung G600 platform, which is simply not compatible 100% with the software (see Photo 1). We have to mention that the two phones Samsung G600 and G608 looks apparently identical, but have significant structural differences.

Photo 1

Have you ever wondered why some stealth phones are sold by private individuals? The answer is unequivocal and straightforward: on these phones is installed a cracked software, which not work properly, is unstable and is a fraud, in the end of the day. Also, these phones are not hardware modified in any way, which makes the software installed to be useless, giving only the appearance of a stealth phone, not the functionality of a real stealth phone.
In fact, people who sell these fake stealth phones do not know anything about the phone function, nor about the ways in which mobile phones are wiretapped (intercepted). They are limited to installing the cracked software on the phone and copying brief explanations and images from legitimate manufacturer webpage, trying to look more real, informed and professional.
Those who buy a fake stealth phone from a private person (as we did in the first instance) will have to face other problems, too: the lack of elementary customer service or worse,completely wrong explanations about stealth phone functions that will seriously affect the security of mobile calls. Also there is no product guarantee or eventual replacement or repair. The fake stealth phone bought by us got stuck after a few weeks of testing and we were lucky that we managed to make the film. Repair or replacement was refused repeatedly by the vendor, and the website where we've bought has not taken any action against him. Vendor says he only sells phones, not repair nor replace them because it's just a private person and he do not provide additional information about the phone, for those who bought it. But when it comes to personal security and mobile communications, such an approach is totally wrong.

For these reasons we had to buy another stealth phone, to be able to continue our study on mobile communications security. This way we found XCel Technologies, a legitimate company that manufacture and sells these real stealth phones. Before buying the phone we have asked about operating conditions and repair or replacement in case of failure. We received a prompt and professional customer service, every single time. This company replaces any defective mobile phone, the general warranty term is two years, common to any other mobile phone. Until now, however, was not the case for any fixes, the phone works perfectly and does the job, as you can see in the video.

Customer service responses has helped us in our research on mobile communications security, through understanding the ways in which the mobile phone is monitored, tracked and wiretapped, the way it works IMSI catchers (aka StingRays in US) and possibility to detect them. Our study results will be published soon on the University website. Our study conclusions promises to be extremely interesting.

Other differences.

Besides that wiretapping alerts do not work at all, fake stealth phones differ from real ones not only from functional point of view but as legal aspects too. Fake stealth phones differ from real ones by the following aspects:

For legal protection of hardware changes, on real stealth phones are applied security seals, on the inside of the phone. See Photo 2, below.

Photo 2: Security seals

Real stealth phones have engraved the manufacturer logo (see Photo 3), because they can not be legally sold as original Samsung phones, since hardware and software changes that has been done are beyond the control of Samsung Electronics Co. From this point of view XCell Technologies comply with local law and international copyright law, without any export restriction of their products. Legitimate manufacturer sell stealth phones that are Samsung modded cell phones.

Photo 3

Photo 4

Another visible difference: fake stealth phones are using shoddy packaging, a ridiculous copy of the original packaging, as can be seen in the Photo 4. We've got information from other fake stealth phone users that some vendors sell these handsets even in paper envelopes or wrapped in bubble foil without any other packaging.
Since a real stealth phone have software and hardware changes, can not be sold as a genuine Samsung phone in the original packaging, because basically is another product. The packaging used by the legitimate manufacturer is a quality one, unique and distinctive.

What else a scammer or fake stealth phone vendor will use to make you think that is selling a genuine stealth phone?
Well, some of them are trying to use some counterfeit IMEI stickers on the phone backside, trying to give a genuine appearance to their fake stealth phones.Sure, a sticker will not make a fake stealth phone, genuine. In fact not the sticker is important in our opinion, but the phone functions. And fake stealth phone functions does not work at all, as we have clearly demonstrated in the test above.
Others will try to lure you with attractive and suspiciously low prices. It's too good to be true? If you find yourself asking this question, then probably yes, it is not true.
Others will try to use marketing methods that looks pretty hilarious when it comes to secure phones, as the guy behind imeichanger.com, anti-tap.com and secretgsm.com has done in the past: offering a free t-shirt for every handset that he sold. The same guy has been caught in the past, using fake G608 IMEI stickers, trying to fool people that he is selling proper stealth phones and not fake ones. From then, his business reputation was pretty much ruined and now is trying to promote the idea that the sites and business owner has changed, trying to escape of such a bad reputation.. Please see our blog.

Counterfeit stealth phones

Conclusions.

The low price can often be a trap, and in this particular case can be a very dangerous one: it will cost your personal security and will disclose secrets that you think you defend by using a fake stealth phone.

A counterfeit stealth phone is a ticking bomb in your pocket. Unfortunately you find out that you have been fulled by the scammer when usually is way too late: you "stealth" phone has been wiretapped and you got busted.

Trying to help those who want to buy a stealth phone, we asked XCell Technologies to notify us the resellers and distributors list. Company representatives were pretty reserved on the subject, saying that permission to disclose these details is not a part of distribution agreement, emphasizing that some resellers sell these phones under their own trademark and do not wish these details to be made public.
As you can guess, private individuals selling fake stealth phones does not fall into this category.

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The truth about antitap.com, imeichanger.com and secretgsm.com

How all this started: previous scams

Nokia 1100 scam, a short story for the scammer

Preparations for change IMEI phones scam

Stealth phone scam in progress

What other scams can you find on antitap.com, imeichanger.com and secretgsm.com?

Conclusions

A comprehensive view on stealth phone scam

What other tricks they use?

Free Samsung G600 Stealth Firmware, 7 functions

Anonymous SIM card scam

Another seller, busted: fake stealth phones for sale

The truth exposed: Stealth Phones, fake vs. real ones

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