[nmglug] Will curiosity kill my cat? What is this?

Tom Ashcraft trailerdog234 at comcast.net
Wed Jan 9 11:51:21 PST 2019


Hey NMGLUGers,

This scenario is potentially a bit off-topic.  But I'm reaching out to you for 
discussion because I generally like to keep it local and deal with  people 
whom I might actually meet at some point, people with whom I might develop a 
degree of mutual understanding and personal investment.  Call it "community" 
if you like.

After many years of resistance I recently broke down and acquired my first 
smart phone, a different service provider, and a new number.   Time to clean 
house, too much old information and random vulnerabilities floating around in 
the ether; lots of weird phishing and robo calls, etc.  

I am hooked but not enthusiastic about the new device (Moto G6, Ting).  Google 
and Android totally creep me out, but I think I've got that aspect as 
constrained as is reasonably possible.  (Synced Contacts being the really 
horrible, notable exception.)

I'm keeping the old $10 Tracfone "feature phone" around until the renew date 
so I don't inadvertently cut off old friends and contacts I can't deal with in 
the near term.  

In the last couple of months I've received probably three very strange but 
similar text messages on the Tracfone.  Part of the reason I finally decided 
to make the switch.  This is the most recent:

1-400-200-501

FRM:larryet
MSG:
http:///20kr.Du0.s.h.icu? ee2py neckas he drew short

I don't dare type any of it into a browser.  Can anyone decode or explain it 
to me?  Is it some kind of hack or is it just kids on drugs or something?

Thanks,
Tom






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