Stranger asks to use your cellphone

[DeathRodent]

You HAVE to let him use the phone!

Dont you guys watch Beauty and the Geek? One of the challenges is borrowing a cell phone from a stranger and makign a call.

Just make sure he looks geeky enough.


And Quartus weren't you in an episode of the X files? I seem to remember that explanation, hmmmm?

[biglabsrule]

Man are people in the cell phone industry really into guns or something? Seems to me everyone on here(a gun forum if you kind of forgot after reading through all that like me) has a career related to the industry

[DeathRodent]

since someone brought up the cell phone with an antenna that becomes a baton - how about a cell phone with a built in stun gun?

Add a 9 volt battery at the bottom end and 2 prongs out the top?

[maverickmage]

why wouldn't you let him just use the phone? I don't see any reason to be so paranoid. It's happened to me before and I just let them borrow it and tell them they don't need to pay for anything. There were times when I needed to make an emergency phone call and borrowed it from a stranger. Now if it was for some frivolous call and they talk for more than 5 minutes (which is too much as it is) i'll just ask for my phone back.

[hj28rules]

To BlackwaterOPS
Yeah. The topic hit a nerve. I hate hi-jacked threads. The thread was about loaning a cell phone to a stanger on a public conveyance. The thread turned into a pi**ing contest about cell phones. This forum is about firearms, their use, training and safety. My Point: If you can't stay on the subject, how can you stay on target? All due respect to the moderators.

LM...Ft. Worth, Tx.
SFC US Army (ret. 1996) KKMC Desert Storm 1990-91

We may have been National Guard, but we ran with the big dogs and pulled their asses out of trouble when the RA was doing PCMS...

[stephen426]

Good greif... What is wrong with you guys? If someone wants to use my cell phone, I say "sure" and hand it over. My phone is pretty beat up so I doubt anyone wants to steal it. Besides, I will be sitting right next to them. You guys want to call it naive, but whats wrong with being nice? So what if someone has your number. If you get crank calls, just block their number. How many people ask to borrow a cell phone just to do that? Besides, their cell phone can be out of battery and they need to make an important call. Some of you guys are just plain ridiculous!

[Alba gu brach]

Thank God Stephen, I thought I was maybe a bit simple or naive. I would say sure - help yourself. I try and treat people as I would want to be treated myself.

As for the thread - it was brilliant in the way it followed the classic light bulb changing thread....

How many group posters does it take to change a light bulb?

1 to change the light bulb and to post that the light bulb has been changed

14 to share similar experiences of changing light bulbs and how the light bulb could have been changed differently

7 to caution about the dangers of changing light bulbs

27 to point out spelling/grammar errors in posts about changing light bulbs

53 to flame the spell checkers

41 to correct spelling/grammar flames

6 to argue over whether it's "lightbulb" or "light bulb" ...

another 6 to condemn those 6 as anal-retentive

2 industry professionals to inform the group that the proper term is "lamp"

15 know-it-alls who claim *they* were in the industry, and that "light bulb" is perfectly correct

109 to post that this group is not about light bulbs and to please take this discussion to a lightbulb group

203 to demand that cross posting to hardware forum, off-topic forum, and lightbulb group about changing light bulbs be stopped

111 to defend the posting to this group saying that we all use light bulbs and therefore the posts *are* relevant to this group

27 to post URL's where one can see examples of different light bulbs

14 to post that the URL's were posted incorrectly and then post the corrected URL's

4 to say "didn't we go through this already a short time ago?"

143 to say "do a Google search on light bulbs before posting questions about light bulbs"

1 forum lurker to respond to the original post 6 months from now and start it all over again....

[nbk2000]

Google is our friend:
http://www.francetelecom.com/sirius/...techfiche2.php

And cellphones have many other attack vectors than simple location, which they are ALL capable of:
http://www.schneier.com/cgi-bin/sear...lar&Realm=blog

Remotely Eavesdropping on Cell Phone Microphones
Automatic Surveillance Via Cell Phone
SMS Denial-of-Service Attack
Surveillance Via Cell Phones
Risks of Losing Portable Devices

If you have a java-enabled phone, that person next to you could tell you a number to dial and, once handed the phone, has a malacious applet installed on your phone to extract your phonebook, SMS messages, etc. to their computer. Or to send them all future numbers dialed from that phone, plus any GPS data that the phone may be capable of sending.

You shouldn't have a cellphone from a 'plan' anyways. Get the phone dick out of your ear, and quite blabbing so much on the damn thing that you need unlimited minutes to blather.

Pre-paid phones are the way to go. No names and no worries if you loss it. Memorize your phonenumbers, rather than letting a stupid machine do it for you, so no phonebook or contact list. Delete the call logs at the end of each day. Use the keyguard and change all default PIN's.

Since you're paying by the minute, this keeps your calls short and relevant. Don't say anything over a cellular that you wouldn't say with your worst enemy listening, and don't ever let a stranger touch your phone.

And that last one could be a prelude to a crime against you, because now you have no way of calling for help.

[Doggieman]

I can't say I find the cell phone technology posts in this thread particularly interesting or compelling, but to answer the question originally presented I'd probably give him or her a weird look and say "I'm sorry, no, I never lend my phone to others." My girlfriend is a little more straightforward and would undoubtedly say something like "F@$K NO."

Keeping in mind where I life, in the big city, somebody asking to use your cell phone is very suspicious indeed.

[stephen426]

Originally Posted by nbk2000

If you have a java-enabled phone, that person next to you could tell you a number to dial and, once handed the phone, has a malacious applet installed on your phone to extract your phonebook, SMS messages, etc. to their computer. Or to send them all future numbers dialed from that phone, plus any GPS data that the phone may be capable of sending.

You shouldn't have a cellphone from a 'plan' anyways. Get the phone dick out of your ear, and quite blabbing so much on the damn thing that you need unlimited minutes to blather.

Pre-paid phones are the way to go. No names and no worries if you loss it. Memorize your phonenumbers, rather than letting a stupid machine do it for you, so no phonebook or contact list. Delete the call logs at the end of each day. Use the keyguard and change all default PIN's.

Since you're paying by the minute, this keeps your calls short and relevant. Don't say anything over a cellular that you wouldn't say with your worst enemy listening, and don't ever let a stranger touch your phone.

And that last one could be a prelude to a crime against you, because now you have no way of calling for help.

First of all, read the article you linked again.

I never had any actual evidence one way or the other, but the technique has surfaced in an organized crime prosecution:

Besides, you are dealing with the feds who have practically limitless power when they invoke RICO laws. Besides, I would be sitting next to the person and would notice if they are doing anything other than dialing and talking.

As for not having a cell phone on a plan, try running a business sometime. I work for a multi-unit restaurant company and I am on the phone all the time. Emergencies pop up frequently and I have to be available pretty much anytime. If I am at a restaurant and corporate needs to reach me, the cell is the easiest way. Maybe we should go back to beepers and I can run around looking for a nasty pay phone. Better yet, maybe I can ask people to borrow theirs. As for unlimited minutes, I actually do have such a plan since I'm sure it saves a butt load of money. Cell phones allow you to make business deals when stuck in traffic or taking public transportation. Maybe you prefer to polish up your sudoku skills instead.

As for memorizing literally hundreds of numbers, especially number you don't use often, good luck. I have a good deal of mine memorized, but its much faster to speed dial and safer too. Why would I delete all my call logs since all my calls are legit? Maybe you are making booty calls or calling ex-girlfriends and afraid your wife might find out.

As for the last part "calling for help", you are on the "we don't call 911 forum".

I swear... some of you guys are so paranoid. Time to put the tin foil hats on. Think about this. If you are on this forum from your own computer, BATF could be monitoring your posts. They can see the things you type, especially if you list your guns. They can figure out where you are and hunt you down. If you think public computers (such s at the library) are not monitored, quit dreaming. Besides, I believe that many sites are blocked or restricted. Maybe your home phone is tapped. When will it end??? :barf:

[stephen426]

As for GunOwner,

I'm not going to lend my phone to some nasty smelly bum. If the person looks normal (maybe a hot girl even) I would lend my phone without hesitation. I've been in situations where my phone ran out of juice and needed to make an important call. As for the sanitary aspect, its still better than using public phones where many many people have used it. I always wipe my phone down anyways.

[Seamus]

Alba gu brach said it perfectly on posting. Of course, some say a 75 watt is just as good as a 100 watt whereas others swear by a 3-way. And then, there are the LED and flourescent fans to consider.

Oh, yeah. Forgot. Lend the phone. Does anyone know if nanobots cause this chronic 'ringing' in my ears? Soy backwards is "yos". Hummmm.

[Duxman]

It would depend on the situation:

1) Who the person is? (Is the person well dressed and groomed, or is it a bum?)

2) Are there a lot of folks on the train or is it just the two of us?

3) Gut feel on the person.

4) The reason for the call.

If I were in no immediate danger, and I think its reasonable - why not. But if I feel that there might be some shenanigans going on. Heck no.

[BoringAccountant]

Sure I would let him use it...I mean after all whats the big deal...if he steals it...just get a new one. I wouldn't want to not let someone use my phone simply because I thought he or she may steal it. They could just be having a bad day.


Plus I hope all of you who said no way, etc. never NEED to use a phone because you may just run across yourself who says no to you

[sdj]

Is a bit like lending a piece of identity. Let's assume I lend out my phone. A call is made. The receiver now has my number, or can gain access to my number. With the number, a whole manner of identity-theft related scenarios are possible, and now made easier. Armed with my number, the caller can now gain access to my phone bill (via services on the internet) and for a fee can receive a recent bill (the bad news: the fee is reasonable.). Now, let's say that while the caller was speaking to me, asking to borrow my phone, a second person, working with the caller, snapped a quick digital photo of me with another cell phone. Caller(s) now have easy access to: a picture of me, my cell phone number, and my last month's bill. For the caller, this might be where it ends. The caller might simply be working for an off-shore identity-theft ring, or a local one, for that matter.

I think most folks on TFL are more inclined to protect themselves and their families, than not. Not lending out a phone would dovetail nicely with that mind-set.

Good luck, safe shooting.

[stephen426]

I think most folks on TFL are more inclined to protect themselves and their families, than not. Not lending out a phone would dovetail nicely with that mind-set.

I think TFL also has its share of paranoid freaks. Not lending out a phone would dovetail nicely with that mind-set too. I also feel that many people on TFL look out for their follow man and tend to be more courteous than the average person. Based on some of the responses on this thread, maybe I was mistaken. :barf:

[skeeter1]

You are riding public transport in a major city during rush hour (typical mix of kids and adults, nobody suspicious) and sit down next to a stranger who notices you have a cellphone.

Well, where I live, almost no one uses public transportation, even though we have rather hefty tax supports for it.

Would I loan my cell phone to a stranger? No. Would you loan a stranger your CCW? I don't think so.

[stephen426]

Originally Posted by skeeter

Would I loan my cell phone to a stranger? No. Would you loan a stranger your CCW? I don't think so.

So we are now comparing cell phones to CCWs... Whatever.

[Doggieman]

Just don't get 'em confused when you take a call

[Diesel1]

Many times I have been asked "could I use your cell phone to make a call"? My typical response is " I can only use it to call my work " It seems to me that's it's an invitation for something bad to happen. The few times I have let someone use my phone it was more of a gut feeling that this person is okay.

[nbk2000]

Originally Posted by stephen426

So we are now comparing cell phones to CCWs... Whatever.

I'd make that comparsion.

Both can save your life, and losing control of either to a hostile could result in your death.

[revjen45]

Sorry, it's a company owned phone. Only for company business.

[Beckerich]

I always thought the Americans would have an easier way of dealing with something like this.

Just say "no."

why would you bother to say its a company phone, tell him your with al qaeda and your expecting a call.

[AR15FAN]

Three pages of rubbish and this has nothing to do with guns.....

[Capt. Charlie]

Three pages of rubbish and this has nothing to do with guns.....

Nor real tactics, nor real training. Methinks this should've been closed years ago.