Mobile phone privacy

[Georgina]

I have a Vodafone sim card here in Egypt which I top up with vouchers. I have an Egyptian friend who has helped me with several things and he lives in Cairo and works for Vodafone. He calls me quite excessively and yesterday I had to visit Cairo and he helped me with some things. He asked me to call him when I got home safely and I started to type a text message. He called while I was writing and I said I was just writing you a message and he said "I saw" and then started asking me what time the plane landed, etc.

Is it possible that someone who works for Vodafone (and we are talking Egypt here where things are corrupt) that they could see any messages I send or listen to phone conversations?

[Fiona]

I don't think it needs to be a Vodafone person.

I remember this a while ago, so I guess it can be done Snarffing

[Sean]

Originally Posted by Fiona

I don't think it needs to be a Vodafone person.

I remember this a while ago, so I guess it can be done Snarffing

That is a Bluetooth hack on a phone not something the avg person would be able to do.

[Adrian Kelland]

Originally Posted by Fiona

I don't think it needs to be a Vodafone person.

I remember this a while ago, so I guess it can be done Snarffing

I think that refers to phone to phone communication. I think Georgina's problem is that someone at Vodaphone is in a position to see when her phone registers with the network to send texts of make a call etc. In the UK this would be a breach of privacy I am sure. In Egypt it may not be, but it still might be against the providers obligations. Bit of a cultural difference too perhaps. I'm sure Vodaphone would not like to hear that this is happening in this manner.

The friend needs to know that friends don't spy on each other.

Adrian

[wilbo]

The friend needs to know that friends don't spy on each other.

he doesn't really sound like a friend - but somebody very interested in you Georgina.. be careful.

[ardhill]

I am with Wilbo on that one.

[neilh]

Originally Posted by Georgina

...I started to type a text message. He called while I was writing and I said I was just writing you a message and he said "I saw" ...

Is it possible that someone who works for Vodafone (and we are talking Egypt here where things are corrupt) that they could see any messages I send or listen to phone conversations?

It's entirely possible that messages and phone conversations could be intercepted by your own mobile operator. In the UK we have laws and regulations to protect against misuse, I guess other countries may be slightly more "flexible"

However I'd doubt whether he would be able to see that you had started to type a text message. I'm not at all convinced that the phone makes any attempt to communicate with the network when you are composing a new text, only when you hit the send button.

It could well be the case that he was able to see that your phone had registered with the network when you turned it on after you'd landed.

As the others have said - I'd be cautious.

[PeeBee]

Originally Posted by neilh

It's entirely possible that messages and phone conversations could be intercepted by your own mobile operator. In the UK we have laws and regulations to protect against misuse, I guess other countries may be slightly more "flexible"

However I'd doubt whether he would be able to see that you had started to type a text message. I'm not at all convinced that the phone makes any attempt to communicate with the network when you are composing a new text, only when you hit the send button.

It could well be the case that he was able to see that your phone had registered with the network when you turned it on after you'd landed.

As the others have said - I'd be cautious.

I'm with Neil on this, I don't believe that anyone without serious kit (not available to most Vodafoner employees) could tell that you were in the middle of composing a text, there is software around that let's people read the text on a screen and remotely monitor key strokes on PC's so I imagine that similar software could or has been developed for monitoring other devices like phones, but this is security service type stuff and not available to many people even in a company like Vodafone. More likely he saw when your phone connected to the network or even simpler he had sent you a text and got a report when it wqas delivered i.e. when you switched your phone on.

If it was the last then it could be purely innocent.

Good luck

[deepbull]

could he not just tell by the ring tone?
as for "i saw" just bad English?
just ask him!


ada

[Georgina]

Originally Posted by PeeBee

More likely he saw when your phone connected to the network or even simpler he had sent you a text and got a report when it wqas delivered i.e. when you switched your phone on.

If it was the last then it could be purely innocent.

Good luck

Yes maybe it was because when I switched my phone on I was picking up and replying to lots of messages and calling people and receiving calls and it wasn't until over an hour later that I got round to writing a message to him and he called me. He sounded agitated but he hadn't sent me any messages as he was waiting for me to call him. Maybe he could see me contacting other phones? I felt like he was waiting for me to log onto the computer in the morning onto Facebook or messenger and would call immediately.

This is Egypt and I don't blame Egyptian men for trying to be friends with European girls. Life is really tough sometimes for them and I would probably do the same. But yes I am carefull. Next time I am suspicious that maybe he could monitor my phone activity I will definately ask him!!