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Author Topic: Smartphone Maps - security warning to watch out for  (Read 3298 times)

Barry Shipton

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This is a problem with the Maps app on iPhones but may also be an issue on Android and Windows phones as they all lift each other's features.

I always get a girl or agency to text or email an address complete with postcode so I can plan and time my journey on my TomTom (deleting recent addresses afterwards of course).

So I message a regular for a booking from my private 'punting' email, she's working from a new apartment and sends the address.

Go to the Maps app to check - it's already there! Listed in the address book (icon top right) complete with her working name all extracted from her email. Thankfully she's not called Dirtycumslut69 but it wasn't Fred Smith either.

Unknown to me, Maps monitors your email and I think text inboxes too, recognises address formats and helpfully lists them for you.

Normally apps ask for permission to access things like your address book and email when you install them but Maps is part of iOS so it searches them by default and it can't be deleted. I've checked the privacy and app settings but can't find any way to disable this feature.

Lesson learned - delete the Maps address book every time you get a new address - luckily once deleted it doesn't restore them from old emails otherwise it would leave a nice detective trail of dodgy names and working flats.

And if you use other map apps Google is even more lax with your private data. Google Maps keeps insisting I link it to my Gmail address - yes, the private 'punting' one!

Lesson learned - never use Gmail for your 'private' email otherwise every bloody Google app keeps advertising it.

So before ParisB adds this to her Mumsnet tips on how to catch a cheating bastard, add this to your post-punt security 'clean up' checklist.

Otherwise just stick to AW messages, punting phone texts or phone calls. Apologies if this one has already been mentioned but caused me a shock so probably worth a reminder anyway.
« Last Edit: August 01, 2014, 09:38:22 am by Barry Shipton »

Offline smiths

This is a problem with the Maps app on iPhones but may also be an issue on Android and Windows phones as they all lift each other's features.

I always get a girl or agency to text or email an address complete with postcode so I can plan and time my journey on my TomTom (deleting recent addresses afterwards of course).

So I message a regular for a booking from my private 'punting' email, she's working from a new apartment and sends the address.

Go to the Maps app to check - it's already there! Listed in the address book (icon top right) complete with her working name all extracted from her email. Thankfully she's not called Dirtycumslut69 but it wasn't Fred Smith either.

Unknown to me, Maps monitors your email and I think text inboxes too, recognises address formats and helpfully lists them for you.

Normally apps ask for permission to access things like your address book and email when you install them but Maps is part of iOS so it searches them by default and it can't be deleted. I've checked the privacy and app settings but can't find any way to disable this feature.

Lesson learned - delete the Maps address book every time you get a new address - luckily once deleted it doesn't restore them from old emails otherwise it would leave a nice detective trail of dodgy names and working flats.

And if you use other map apps Google is even more lax with your private data. Google Maps keeps insisting I link it to my Gmail address - yes, the private 'punting' one!

Lesson learned - never use Gmail for your 'private' email otherwise every bloody Google app keeps advertising it.

So before ParisB adds this to her Mumsnet tips on how to catch a cheating bastard, add this to your post-punt security 'clean up' checklist.

Otherwise just stick to AW messages, punting phone texts or phone calls. Apologies if this one has already been mentioned but caused me a shock so probably worth a reminder anyway.

Good information Barry, in my view its always handy to let punters know about these kind of things. Every time these warnings get posted up re-enforces i am best to stick with my very basic Nokia puntng phone, not actually needing a smartphone for punting. :thumbsup:

Offline akauya

Better still, use a basic non-smartphone pay-as-you-go punting phone. No maps, no emails, no gps, no tracking, no problems.


Edit: Smiths beat me to it :)

Offline smiths

Better still, use a basic non-smartphone pay-as-you-go punting phone. No maps, no emails, no gps, no tracking, no problems.


Edit: Smiths beat me to it :)

 :thumbsup: :D

Curious6705

  • Guest
Good advice.

I find Google and Apple maps very useful for punting - but I get postcodes sent to my punting phone not something that will run a maps app. It's the work of a moment to type a postcode texted to my punting phone into a private browsing session on a "smart device" and I can preview an unfamiliar route, building up a memory of how landmarks look along the way, and an overall memory of relevant maps.

Offline CBPaul

Good and valuable post Barry. Some very worrying features on smart phones, too bloody smart for my liking !

As others have said, it shows why a basic payg phone is best for punting if you need to be careful and preserve anonymity.

Offline Taggart

I read this and was concerned after checking the history on my iphone's maps, as it showed a couple of suspect addresses.

However, try the following:

with a map open, select the book symbol, top right.
On next screen, at bottom select recents, then select 'CLEAR' top left.

Problem apparently solved....

Offline Dani

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Weird my Iphones must not be working properly as I have checked maps on both and neither have any addresses stored at all and I actually have to save an address if I want it to be listed.
Am I missing something or looking in the wrong bit?
I should have dozens in there as I have used it to get me to quite a few places but don't have a single address in there bar the ones I have actually clicked on save

JV547845

  • Guest
Don't you get a choice of profiles on a smart phone, which you can password protect?  Don't they have an equivalent to porn mode (control+shift+n (or p))?  Won't the mumsnet lot be mortified if they accidentally find out about that surprise wedding anniversary present their husbands spent ages choosing ;-)?

Offline Daffodil


Offline Taggart

Weird my Iphones must not be working properly as I have checked maps on both and neither have any addresses stored at all and I actually have to save an address if I want it to be listed.
Am I missing something or looking in the wrong bit?
I should have dozens in there as I have used it to get me to quite a few places but don't have a single address in there bar the ones I have actually clicked on save

Dani - may depend on your phone model and software. Mine's a 5 running on iOS 7.1.2
But you may be looking at something different too.

Offline Taggart

Don't you get a choice of profiles on a smart phone, which you can password protect?  Don't they have an equivalent to porn mode (control+shift+n (or p))?  Won't the mumsnet lot be mortified if they accidentally find out about that surprise wedding anniversary present their husbands spent ages choosing ;-)?

Not that I am aware of on an iPhone. Maybe on an android/windows as that matches their PC op system.

Offline Anadin

This doesn't seem to happen on my Android phone but I set google not to monitor my search history so I suspect helps, not that I'd ever give up my smartphone for anything.

Barry Shipton

  • Guest
Dani - may depend on your phone model and software. Mine's a 5 running on iOS 7.1.2
But you may be looking at something different too.
Yes mine is on the latest version of iOS 7.1.2 - didn't notice this little feature with earlier versions so be careful when you update.

Wish there were alternative 'porn' and 'porn free' profiles on iPhones as I also have a Twitter account which if I forget to log out of - even if I have switched it to my 'ordinary' account - puts dozens of escort and porn weblinks in the 'shared links' section of my Safari browser bookmarks. Another little incriminating feature you can't turn off!
« Last Edit: August 01, 2014, 04:00:05 pm by Barry Shipton »

Curious6705

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Yes mine is on the latest version of iOS 7.1.2 - didn't notice this little feature with earlier versions so be careful when you update.

Wish there were alternative 'porn' and 'porn free' profiles on iPhones as I also have a Twitter account which if I forget to log out of - even if I have switched it to my 'ordinary' account - puts dozens of escort and porn weblinks in the 'shared links' section of my Safari browser bookmarks. Another little incriminating feature you can't turn off!

Is there not some kind of app that will do this sort of thing for you?

Any access I make to adult content on my iPhone I do using the Chrome browser in Incognito mode - I don't use Safari for anything like that.

ass_inspector

  • Guest
Never ever experienced such an issue in IOS that maps can monitor e-mail content but any address with post code it can find from searching content even not tracked by maps.

Barry Shipton

  • Guest
Is there not some kind of app that will do this sort of thing for you?

Any access I make to adult content on my iPhone I do using the Chrome browser in Incognito mode - I don't use Safari for anything like that.
I never access adult content on Safari, even though it now has a private mode, I have three other browsers including Chrome which are better for private mode. But you can't delete Safari or switch off the feature that allows it to search all your social media apps for shared links - so all web links on my 'private' Twitter account show up if I forget to delete the account completely.

Never ever experienced such an issue in IOS that maps can monitor e-mail content but any address with post code it can find from searching content even not tracked by maps.

Think that's using Searchlight mode - but I switched that off for email, notes and texts years back when I found it discovering embarrassing emails, even ones that had been deleted and didn't exist! When you clicked on them it couldn't find them but it somehow still stored the text and showed enough to be incriminating.

I'd recommend turning off Spotlight Search, it's in - Settings/General/Spotlight Search - tap on the little blue tick next to each app name like email to stop it searching those areas.

But somehow Maps finds every postcode even without Spotlight - Apple must have coded it in, great feature but like someone on hear said, smartphones are becoming too bloody smart!

Offline Boundless

I think that all this just reiterates the need for a very basic punting phone that isn't going to remember anything.

Curious6705

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I never access adult content on Safari, even though it now has a private mode, I have three other browsers including Chrome which are better for private mode. But you can't delete Safari or switch off the feature that allows it to search all your social media apps for shared links - so all web links on my 'private' Twitter account show up if I forget to delete the account completely.

Interesting. I've avoiding joining social media sites because I'm concerned about privacy - not just of punting info. Every Mobile software maker seems to delight in making "sharing" as easy as possible.

willbred

  • Guest
Good information Barry, in my view its always handy to let punters know about these kind of things. Every time these warnings get posted up re-enforces i am best to stick with my very basic Nokia puntng phone, not actually needing a smartphone for punting. :thumbsup:

+1
I'm about to enter the 21st C and get a smart phone for my work, but have already lined up a £9 PAYG from Tesco for the punting

JV547845

  • Guest
Wish there were alternative 'porn' and 'porn free' profiles on iPhones

You're probably out of luck.  Steve Jobs himself did say “Folks who want porn can buy an Android phone.“.  Maybe now he's gone Apple will diversify their marketting.  The internet already came up with the perfect name: Fapple.

Offline iPad3

I think all of the above adds huge weight to the punting phone argument as said above.

I access all adult info via a password protected secret browser on my iphone but any contact or calls are via the punting phone.

I use google maps to find places but only ever enter postcodes manually and purposely do not sign into google maps as you'll find all locations entered stored and spread all over the place, this stops the OH finding a list of locations you've searched and asking awkward questions.

Offline smiths

+1
I'm about to enter the 21st C and get a smart phone for my work, but have already lined up a £9 PAYG from Tesco for the punting

Very wise mate. :thumbsup:

Offline Wowgeek

It doesn't matter which phone you use to make the calls, if your iPhone is with you, or in the car nearby, your history will be recorded unless you have specifically disabled it.

Go to 'settings >privacy>location services>System services>frequent locations' and there is a list at the bottom of the page. If you have England, which is quite likely, click on it and you will get a map of everywhere you have been.

I can hear the sound of 'delete history' all over the UK now ;-)

Curious6705

  • Guest
It doesn't matter which phone you use to make the calls, if your iPhone is with you, or in the car nearby, your history will be recorded unless you have specifically disabled it.

Go to 'settings >privacy>location services>System services>frequent locations' and there is a list at the bottom of the page. If you have England, which is quite likely, click on it and you will get a map of everywhere you have been.

I can hear the sound of 'delete history' all over the UK now ;-)

Strange - I've just looked at mine and all it shows is my home location.

Offline webpunter

Go to 'settings >privacy>location services>System services>frequent locations' and there is a list at the bottom of the page. If you have England, which is quite likely, click on it and you will get a map of everywhere you have been.
I can hear the sound of 'delete history' all over the UK now ;-)
Thanks for the tip about frequent locations.  Now switched off.  Location services turned off 99% of the time & i clear out maps.  In addition to the security risk with location stuff it burns through the battery life.  Learn something new on UKP most days !  Much appreciated

Offline Wowgeek

Interesting, if you don't have a list at the bottom of the page under 'history' you may have already disabled it.

Curious6705

  • Guest
Interesting, if you don't have a list at the bottom of the page under 'history' you may have already disabled it.

Location Services is turned on, though I have turned it off for Chrome which I use for accessing any adult content.

I've used Google Maps on it for scoping punting locations and probably played with Apple Maps as well. Locations services is turned on for both.

One thing is I almost never have Wi-Fi turned on as I have an unlimited data plan. When I'm out and about Bluetooth is always turned on as I use it with a headset. The phone has been with me to LMP for example - turned off as I entered their building and turned back on as I exited it, but there's no record of that.

Offline webpunter

When I'm out and about Bluetooth is always turned on as I use it with a headset
Hopefully not when walking around, looking like a bell-end ? :)
Best to disable bluetooth if phone not turned off
You'll need to get yourself an iWatch when they come out !

Curious6705

  • Guest
Hopefully not when walking around, looking like a bell-end ? :)
Best to disable bluetooth if phone not turned off
You'll need to get yourself an iWatch when they come out !

To be honest - I'm not self conscious - I get my junk out at sex parties without a care - so I don't care if people think I look like a bell end!
« Last Edit: August 02, 2014, 11:57:07 am by Curious6705 »

Offline iPad3

It doesn't matter which phone you use to make the calls, if your iPhone is with you, or in the car nearby, your history will be recorded unless you have specifically disabled it.

Go to 'settings >privacy>location services>System services>frequent locations' and there is a list at the bottom of the page. If you have England, which is quite likely, click on it and you will get a map of everywhere you have been.

I can hear the sound of 'delete history' all over the UK now ;-)

Yes indeed, I disabled location services on mine a whole back following a warning on here, a week previous I'd been to the LMP anniversary party and stayed at a hotel a few minutes walk away as a bit of a treat to myself. Both locations were logged and pretty much bang on so be warned turn em off or leave them at home unless you have a good cover story.

Offline Taggart

High five to Wowgeek for the extra info.

Mine had nothing incriminating in, but I didnt like the way the option was tucked away at the end of several menus. Sneaky.

Offline iPad3

Yes indeed, I disabled location services on mine a whole back following a warning on here, a week previous I'd been to the LMP anniversary party and stayed at a hotel a few minutes walk away as a bit of a treat to myself. Both locations were logged and pretty much bang on so be warned turn em off or leave them at home unless you have a good cover story.

Sneaky indeed, apparently the reason for having this function is that in the future you'll get adverts pop up based on your particular interests for services that are in the vicinity. So you could be wandering along with the missus enjoying the weather etc when a buzzer goes off in your pocket followed by an announcement that hardcore slut 69 is offering discount blow jobs this morning......very handy!!!

Offline webpunter

Sneaky indeed, apparently the reason for having this function is that in the future you'll get adverts pop up based on your particular interests for services that are in the vicinity. So you could be wandering along with the missus enjoying the weather etc when a buzzer goes off in your pocket followed by an announcement that hardcore slut 69 is offering discount blow jobs this morning......very handy!!!
I can see all the geezers with Nokia punting phones thinking phew ! I am
Too many chances to fuck up with smart phones.  They are smarter than us - especially when we're bladdered
Can you imagine getting such a text.  I'd put it down to mates logging my phone details onto some iffy website for a laugh.  And that the next time i saw them then i'd beat the crap out of them.  And do the same to them & see how they like it.  And then finish the statement with something like 'do you ever get texts when you don't know who they're from / why you get them'.  Changes the subject.  I'd then add that i received loads of texts from PPI wankers

Kimberly_C

  • Guest
Interesting. I've avoiding joining social media sites because I'm concerned about privacy - not just of punting info. Every Mobile software maker seems to delight in making "sharing" as easy as possible.

This may be slightly off the exact topic, but I hope it's OK if I share this with you, as it's related and can impact a punter's security:

I had a horrifying experience when I set up a second gmail account for my working identity. I once had a second account for a non-whoring reason, and it had always been fine: log out of one gmail account and then into another. So, I set up a gmail account for my working name. I set it to display as the sender's name "Kimberly C." All seemed well enough. Then I got an email from someone that my KimberlyC account was showing my real name as the sender. That is, it said "kimberlyc@gmail, etc..." but displayed my real name as it is on my primary personal account. I freaked out and went to check the settings. All seemed copacetic: I did some sort of reset and the next email seemed OK, but then the following one reverted to showing my real name. I couldn't make it stop.

Meanwhile, I had the reverse happen in my primary/non-working account. I replied to a friend's email (I didn't open a fresh email window - I hit "reply") and he said, "What's this kimberlyC? Do you have a new email address?" Luckily, this person knows what I do, so there was no damage.

I Googled for an answer to why this was happening and found one other person citing a similar issue on some techie forum. As far as I can tell, it was a glitch and nothing to do with how I'd put my settings. There was the suggestion that this was a result of being linked via Google+. I had to disengage my primary account from Google+ and never use the KimberlyC gmail again. That does seem to have solved the problem.

I know most of you use AW or punting phones, but some guys have a second email address for when they contact prostitutes via their web sites. Please be aware that this can happen if you have two gmail accounts and are on Google+.

I tried to make that succinct and hopefully not garbled.

JV547845

  • Guest
So, I set up a gmail account for my working name. I set it to display as the sender's name "Kimberly C." All seemed well enough. Then I got an email from someone that my KimberlyC account was showing my real name as the sender. That is, it said "kimberlyc@gmail, etc..." but displayed my real name as it is on my primary personal account.

Cheers.  To avoid that one in future I think you want to clear cookies or go into incognito mode before setting up a new gmail address and avoid using the same phone numbers and recovery email addresses.  Hopefully it's less common now google allows pseudonyms again.

Offline Boundless

I'd never heard of copacetic - had to google it.  :crazy:

Offline Daffodil

I never access adult content on Safari, even though it now has a private mode, I have three other browsers including Chrome which are better for private mode. But you can't delete Safari or switch off the feature that allows it to search all your social media apps for shared links - so all web links on my 'private' Twitter account show up if I forget to delete the account completely.

Think that's using Searchlight mode - but I switched that off for email, notes and texts years back when I found it discovering embarrassing emails, even ones that had been deleted and didn't exist! When you clicked on them it couldn't find them but it somehow still stored the text and showed enough to be incriminating.

I'd recommend turning off Spotlight Search, it's in - Settings/General/Spotlight Search - tap on the little blue tick next to each app name like email to stop it searching those areas.

But somehow Maps finds every postcode even without Spotlight - Apple must have coded it in, great feature but like someone on hear said, smartphones are becoming too bloody smart!

Had the exact same problem.