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At first I thought maybe he helped facilitate SIM card transfers used in 2FA hijacking, but this guy was just unlocking phones so they could be used on other ne

At first I thought maybe he helped facilitate SIM card transfers used in 2FA hijacking, but this guy was just unlocking phones so they could be used on other networks. What a stupid thing cell phone locking is. Good job FBI doing nothing but carrying water for large corporations against users.

vorpalhex 4y ago
Hacking and phishing t-mobile employees and using those credentials to sell unlocks to the tune of millions is.. actually pretty bad, yeah. That was probably the right for the FBI to stop.
- LadyCailin 4y ago
  If only the FTC and/or Congress went after these anti consumer practices with the same vigor.
  - ars 4y ago
    There is nothing anti consumer about a monthly payment plan for a phone. You are probably thinking of years ago where they would lock the phone, even if you paid for it. That's not the case with T-Mobile - as soon as the phone was paid off your monthly bill goes down (since you have finished the monthly payments), and they unlock it.
    - harry8 4y ago
      you know what, if the phone isn't paid off they can repo the thing. The end. Locking to a network is not justified for that or any other reason.
      - acchow 4y ago
        Disagree. A used car might recover much of its value if repossessed, but not a used phone
        Dylan16807 4y ago
        The suggestion is repossession instead of a lock. Locks recover zero value.
        kortilla 4y ago
        Sure, but they certainly deter absconding in the first place.
        sennight 4y ago
        It deters a lot more than that. Remember when you couldn't migrate phone numbers, before carriers were forced by regulators? So many NANP phone number blocks absconded... You know carriers have the same recourse as car dealerships for having their property stolen, right? More, because mobile phones are serialized tracking devices that can be remotely disabled with a simple addition to the IMEI blacklist.
        harry8 4y ago
        You're really advancing the theory that locking it recovers its value in the hands of the defaulter so they can pay the creditor? But you can't sell the phone for its full price. Right. And guess what. You're liable for your debts either way. Hurrah. But hey if the phone is stolen they get a new customer to bilk while they bilk the poor victim of theft at the same time. You only lock because you know you are not competitive on price or service but have a slick sales technique. Lock 'em in so when they wake up they're toast. Network locking is foul, deceptive, dishonest and knowingly so. Hitch your wagon to that by all means...
        aaaaaaaaata 4y ago
        Don't lease them...?!?
      - ars 4y ago
        You know that repo companies lock the car if you don't pay? If the car is in motion they speed limit it, and once it turns off it won't go back on (sometimes they'll allow it to go on, but with a very low speed). I'm not sure the repo model is the one to copy here....... Basically the phone is not yours until you pay for it, if it's not yours they can lock it. It's not really that controversial. If they kept the lock after that they would be unethical, but they don't. (Phone companies did do that in the past though.)
        harry8 4y ago
        Don't know that no. Separate issue. Even more evil. That is not reposession and I don't know how that ever got to be legal. Look forward to those hacking stories...
        ars 4y ago
        From this and other replies you seem perfectly fine with stealing from companies. Until you pay for it, the object is not yours, I don't see why you are okay with hacking something that isn't yours.
        harry8 4y ago
        I think you're perfectly fine putting words into someone's mouth and drawing unwarranted inferences about their views and I think there's more evidence to back that view too. Doing so is crap, does not result in useful discussion and HN deserves better.
    - CaptainZapp 4y ago
      I never got why they would do that. I had multiple subsidized phones with a couple of carriers, which were never locked. The contract was post payed and a minimum duration applied. I get why they would lock a phone on a pre payment plan. But since you're anyway bound to the contract, post payed, for the duration of the contract why lock the phone in the first place? Nowadays I just get a phone at retail and be done with it.
ars 4y ago
Cell phone locking is linked with a cell phone payment plan, at least that's how T-Mobile does it - once you've paid off the phone they unlock it. It's not like how it used to be that the phone was "free" if you paid for a year service, with T-Mobile they literally sell you the phone at whatever price, and add a monthly payment to your plan.
lalopalota 4y ago
He was also unblocking phones reported as stolen so they could be sold/used again.
- tmpz22 4y ago
  The private information on phones, like nude photos, would also be an item. Could’ve been used to facilitate blackmail, revenge porn, etc. Not to mention stored passwords, stalking, all kinds of stuff. I know everyone is quick to jump on the FBI but let’s get informed first.
  - supermatt 4y ago
    Device access has nothing to do with unlocking or unblocking.
  - alphabettsy 4y ago
    It’s not that kind of unlocking. It’s just removing the network locking.
  - rasz 4y ago
    would could. In reality the ONLY entities ever caught trading stolen nudes from phones are Carriers, Manufacturers and their subsidiaries. https://www.businessinsider.com/apple-settled-lawsuit-womans-nudes-leaked-iphone-repair-workers-2021-6 https://www.businessinsider.com/apple-settled-lawsuit-womans... https://www.theverge.com/2021/6/7/22522560/apple-repair-multimillion-iphone-nude-photos-privacy-settlement-pegatron https://www.theverge.com/2021/6/7/22522560/apple-repair-mult... 'Apple pushed successfully for its name to be removed from the filings, and it’s referred to only as a “customer” in the complaint.' 'The repair services were performed by Pegatron's subsidiary, PTSI, pursuant to a Repairs Services Agreement ("RSA") between Customer, Pegatron and PTSI. '
_8j50 4y ago
This is my personal experience with the FBI as well. When I reported crimes by corporations with evidence they would ignore me. And they are so cozy with corporations it is ridiculous. I don't know if it is because many of them plan on entering the private sector eventually and they are crafting up resumes lol but that is my suspicion. But I still hope there are people there that truly believe in the equal administration of justice.
dapids 4y ago
You do realize on a zero dollar contract the phone is being upfront subsidized by the corporation contracting them out? This is flat out fraud, no matter how you look at it.

vorpalhex 4y ago

Hacking and phishing t-mobile employees and using those credentials to sell unlocks to the tune of millions is.. actually pretty bad, yeah. That was probably the right for the FBI to stop.

LadyCailin 4y ago
If only the FTC and/or Congress went after these anti consumer practices with the same vigor.
- ars 4y ago
  There is nothing anti consumer about a monthly payment plan for a phone. You are probably thinking of years ago where they would lock the phone, even if you paid for it. That's not the case with T-Mobile - as soon as the phone was paid off your monthly bill goes down (since you have finished the monthly payments), and they unlock it.
  - harry8 4y ago
    you know what, if the phone isn't paid off they can repo the thing. The end. Locking to a network is not justified for that or any other reason.
    - acchow 4y ago
      Disagree. A used car might recover much of its value if repossessed, but not a used phone
      - Dylan16807 4y ago
        The suggestion is repossession instead of a lock. Locks recover zero value.
        kortilla 4y ago
        Sure, but they certainly deter absconding in the first place.
        sennight 4y ago
        It deters a lot more than that. Remember when you couldn't migrate phone numbers, before carriers were forced by regulators? So many NANP phone number blocks absconded... You know carriers have the same recourse as car dealerships for having their property stolen, right? More, because mobile phones are serialized tracking devices that can be remotely disabled with a simple addition to the IMEI blacklist.
      - harry8 4y ago
        You're really advancing the theory that locking it recovers its value in the hands of the defaulter so they can pay the creditor? But you can't sell the phone for its full price. Right. And guess what. You're liable for your debts either way. Hurrah. But hey if the phone is stolen they get a new customer to bilk while they bilk the poor victim of theft at the same time. You only lock because you know you are not competitive on price or service but have a slick sales technique. Lock 'em in so when they wake up they're toast. Network locking is foul, deceptive, dishonest and knowingly so. Hitch your wagon to that by all means...
      - aaaaaaaaata 4y ago
        Don't lease them...?!?
    - ars 4y ago
      You know that repo companies lock the car if you don't pay? If the car is in motion they speed limit it, and once it turns off it won't go back on (sometimes they'll allow it to go on, but with a very low speed). I'm not sure the repo model is the one to copy here....... Basically the phone is not yours until you pay for it, if it's not yours they can lock it. It's not really that controversial. If they kept the lock after that they would be unethical, but they don't. (Phone companies did do that in the past though.)
      - harry8 4y ago
        Don't know that no. Separate issue. Even more evil. That is not reposession and I don't know how that ever got to be legal. Look forward to those hacking stories...
        ars 4y ago
        From this and other replies you seem perfectly fine with stealing from companies. Until you pay for it, the object is not yours, I don't see why you are okay with hacking something that isn't yours.
        harry8 4y ago
        I think you're perfectly fine putting words into someone's mouth and drawing unwarranted inferences about their views and I think there's more evidence to back that view too. Doing so is crap, does not result in useful discussion and HN deserves better.
  - CaptainZapp 4y ago
    I never got why they would do that. I had multiple subsidized phones with a couple of carriers, which were never locked. The contract was post payed and a minimum duration applied. I get why they would lock a phone on a pre payment plan. But since you're anyway bound to the contract, post payed, for the duration of the contract why lock the phone in the first place? Nowadays I just get a phone at retail and be done with it.

ars 4y ago

Cell phone locking is linked with a cell phone payment plan, at least that's how T-Mobile does it - once you've paid off the phone they unlock it. It's not like how it used to be that the phone was "free" if you paid for a year service, with T-Mobile they literally sell you the phone at whatever price, and add a monthly payment to your plan.

lalopalota 4y ago

He was also unblocking phones reported as stolen so they could be sold/used again.

tmpz22 4y ago
The private information on phones, like nude photos, would also be an item. Could’ve been used to facilitate blackmail, revenge porn, etc. Not to mention stored passwords, stalking, all kinds of stuff. I know everyone is quick to jump on the FBI but let’s get informed first.
- supermatt 4y ago
  Device access has nothing to do with unlocking or unblocking.
- alphabettsy 4y ago
  It’s not that kind of unlocking. It’s just removing the network locking.
- rasz 4y ago
  would could. In reality the ONLY entities ever caught trading stolen nudes from phones are Carriers, Manufacturers and their subsidiaries. https://www.businessinsider.com/apple-settled-lawsuit-womans-nudes-leaked-iphone-repair-workers-2021-6 https://www.businessinsider.com/apple-settled-lawsuit-womans... https://www.theverge.com/2021/6/7/22522560/apple-repair-multimillion-iphone-nude-photos-privacy-settlement-pegatron https://www.theverge.com/2021/6/7/22522560/apple-repair-mult... 'Apple pushed successfully for its name to be removed from the filings, and it’s referred to only as a “customer” in the complaint.' 'The repair services were performed by Pegatron's subsidiary, PTSI, pursuant to a Repairs Services Agreement ("RSA") between Customer, Pegatron and PTSI. '

_8j50 4y ago

This is my personal experience with the FBI as well. When I reported crimes by corporations with evidence they would ignore me. And they are so cozy with corporations it is ridiculous. I don't know if it is because many of them plan on entering the private sector eventually and they are crafting up resumes lol but that is my suspicion. But I still hope there are people there that truly believe in the equal administration of justice.

dapids 4y ago

You do realize on a zero dollar contract the phone is being upfront subsidized by the corporation contracting them out? This is flat out fraud, no matter how you look at it.