Battle rages with stalker apps
The Federal Trade Commission took legal action against a Florida firm, Retina-X, for selling “stalkerware” that let people secretly spy on other people’s smartphones and devices to track their calls, texts, photos, browsing history and physical movements.
Parents have used stalker apps to monitor their children’s online behavior. Employers have used them to track what their employees are doing on company-owned mobile devices. Those involved in domestic disputes have used them to spy on their partners. But Retina-X ran into trouble with the FTC when its app let purchasers secretly monitor almost everything on the mobile devices on which they were installed without the knowledge or permission of the device’s users.
Retina-X instructed purchasers on how to hide the monitoring apps installed on mobile devices so users would never know they were being stalked. Once installed, the purchaser could remotely monitor the user’s activity from an online dashboard provided by the firm.
In addition, the company didn’t make sure that the purchasers were using the apps for legitimate purposes. And once purchasers installed the app on a device, they could remove the icon so the user would not be aware they were being monitored. Retina-X also failed to keep confidential subscribers’ data safe.
The agreement reached between the FTC and Retina-X bans the company from selling monitoring products that allow circumventing security protections on devices. The firm must obtain a written statement from future purchasers that they will use the products for lawful purposes and they must include an app icon on any targeted device.
While these steps might help weed out some nefarious uses, the real question is, does it go far enough to protect victims? One could argue that parents have the right to monitor a minor child’s activities and employers should be able to watch workers on the clock who give written consent. But what about victims of domestic abuse?
Even though the FTC will put the onus on companies that sell these apps to figure out what customers are doing with the product, in reality it is very unlikely that the motives of all purchasers can ever be fully vetted no matter what restrictions or rules the FTC may come up with.
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LETTUCE RECALL UPDATE: The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has issued a recall for romaine lettuce harvested from Salinas, Calif. The products include whole heads of romaine, hearts of romaine, and packages of precut lettuce and salad mixes which contain romaine, including baby romaine, spring mix and Caesar salad.
There have been 40 cases reported in 16 states including Idaho. A reader emailed to say he bought romaine lettuce from our local Costco and will be returning it for a refund.
Bottom line: Don’t eat any romaine lettuce from Salinas, Calif. Throw it away or take it back to the store and get a refund.
If you plan to purchase romaine lettuce, look at the label to see where it’s grown and if it doesn’t specify, don’t buy it.
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GIANTS ENTER BANKING REALM: Despite many of us trying to be more careful about the information we put on social media, many of us aren’t naïve and know that Facebook and Google have a lot of information about us. We do hope that the information they have isn’t our private banking information, considering their history of being hacked.
However, Facebook and Google have both announced they’re broadening their reach in the financial payments and banking sectors. Facebook is launching Facebook Pay, which will offer services that will consolidate payments across Facebook, Messenger, Instagram and WhatsApp, allowing users to pay for almost anything via Facebook.
Google, meanwhile, will reportedly offer checking accounts next year. The Google checking accounts will be run by Citigroup, Inc. and Stanford Federal Credit Union.
I would not recommend that we as consumers use either service because Facebook already has too much information on its users and has proven that it will share it with the highest bidder.
Google isn’t any better since it is acquiring Fitbit, Inc. to access its users’ health data. Google has also entered into a deal with Ascension Health that will give it access to health information of millions of patients. Federal regulators are scrutinizing the deal.
The scary thing with Facebook and Google is they have so much cash that if they are accused of any wrongdoing, they can simply pay any fine regulators might levy against them and not blink an eye. It doesn’t appear that letting Google and Facebook manage our banking and financial information will be in our best interest.
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NEW MEDICARE SCAM TWIST: Medicare scammers are alive and well in our region. I receive weekly calls from readers reporting that they continue to get the calls saying their Social Security number has been used in a fraudulent manner, which could result in that number being terminated unless they clear up the matter.
But here’s a new twist: Now the scammers are leaving messages on phones saying that you will be sued if you don’t call them back and clear up the fraudulent activity with your Social Security number.
This is the scammers’ way to scare seniors into calling them back so they can steal your personal information and your money.
Do not call them back. You will not be sued.
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ONE MORE GOOD RX COMPANY: Several readers chimed in with good experiences about saving money with the online drug prescription programs mentioned in last week’s column. One reader noted that she uses WellRx. She was able to save money with a prescription that her Medicare Part D plan didn’t cover. In addition to the great prices WellRx provides, there is no membership fee with this resource either.
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Remember: I’m on your side.
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If you’ve encountered a consumer issue that you have questions about or think our readers should know about, please send me an email at terridickersonadvocate@gmail.com or call me at 208-274-4458. As The CDA Press Consumer Gal, I’m here to help. I’m a fulltime copywriter working with businesses on marketing strategy, a columnist and a consumer advocate living in Coeur d’Alene.