Dialers and Bell

This may be somewhat O/T here, since it goes back slightly before I acquired SB and SG -- and was responsible for my getting them. So if the mods decide it'll feel more at home somewhere else, no problem.

Shortly before the holidays, I was having one of those days where I was just surfing/exploring links-to-links-to-links. Picked up somewhere along the way one or another of those dialer worms, which I could hear dialing even though I was already connected locally, and which apparently connected successfully.

(Side question - how can you have two connections at once on the same dialup line? I never did lose my local one, oddly.)

Got my phone bill today and sure enough there it was -- an "ordinary" 900 call, mercifully, not one of these overseas monstrosities. So I called the phone company to see what could be done.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that Bell Canada is VERY familiar with these dialers, and there was no problem at all getting them to agree to credit back the charges, especially when I pointed out I'd subsequently installed additional security software (the SB and SG). We also agreed to set up 900-blocking on my computer's line, since local dialup is all it's ever used for, as extra insurance.

 

Hi again, LWM -- If a proper home for this isn't obvious, I suppose we could just pitch a tent somewhere?

Actually I'm only assuming I kept my local connection -- I reacted fairly quickly, and killed all connections and rebooted as soon as I realized what seemed to have happened. Being a law officer, ages ago, didn't exactly hurt my reflexes even though I'm disabled (most of that isn't physical). But I'm fairly certain the modem-status icon still tool-tipped as my local ISP.

But since my formal background isn't electronics, it's nice to hear you confirm what I'd taken for granted and I thought maybe incorrectly -- that one modem and one phone line can only add up to a single connection at a time.

The new renegade dialup was labelled as "DIDI", by the way, and phone charges were from Psych-something. Wonder if anyone's heard of that one?

Thanks and best,
Mike

(Edit) Oh, and thanks for answering another question which I'd forgotten to ask. I was wondering why there wasn't some kind of "are you sure?" reaction from Windows if a dialup tried to connect while I was already online -- we probably both know all kinds of procedures, both Win and third-party, that ask that. But if this beastie disconnected my own connection first, that answers that one.

 

so can diallers be stopped in any way - I have had trouble in the past with them...
Thanks
D

 

Hi Mike

Has a Bell employee we are aware of those freaking Dialars parasites and others. We do understand that it happens to our members and I know how a pain that can be when we have customers calling in to ask WTF a 2000$ charges appears on their phone bill. You have the good idea to know that there's something wrong

 

Use Anti-Spyware software like Adaware, SpyBot, SpywareBlaster, I found that Pest Patrol is good for dialers and such. Good precaution remove your phone line from your computer when your disconnecting wich will make sure that those dialers don't dial out

 

Thanks for your reply flux. I was more interested in preventing them form getting onto my pc in the first place.


As for disconecting the phone line form my pc - I do this when I shut down but I have had diallers dial-up when I am online...can I prevent this?

Cheers
d

 

Spywareblaster would help keep some from getting on you pc to begin with, and Spybot S&D is good for removing them.

 

Hi Flux, and thanks,

That's useful info, knowing that Ma Bell (and hopefully others) are aware of this problem.

I'm accustomed to seeing warnings all over the internet, and you've probably seen them too, that you probably won't get anywhere with your phone company because they're simply passing along someone else's charges. Nice to know that's not necessarily true, although I'm sure it's quite possible depending on who your phone co. is.

Best,
Mike