Avast WEBforum
Consumer Products => Avast Mobile Apps => Avast Anti-Theft for Android => Topic started by: pesapower on September 22, 2012, 11:12:36 AM
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Hi,
I have a problem, why Avast Anti-Theft send (every week, more or less) a SMS to a number of Czech Republic (the phone number is 420720001669)???
each SMS to Czech Republic cost me 0,30€ !
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it seems you've run into a bug that occurs not very often in the current public version.
we will release an update this week which will fix this.
i am sorry for this inconvenience!
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Ok, thank you!
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I'm having the same problem. It has send 3 text messages to this nummer.
Costing me a total of €0.75!
Is there a work-around we can use to prevent more costs untill the update comes out?
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unpair your device from the account (in the Anti-Theft UI) and then pair it again.
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I also found a charge from Aug 21 2012 for this on my phone bill. I'll un-pair and re-pair my account and wait for the update.
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What is the update status?
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What is the update status?
I cannot speak officially, as I'm not from the development team, but seems next week or so.
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Refering to this topic... Is it possible, that apart from sending SMS to Czech Republic, Anti-Theft sends it also to a number (in this case, my girlfriend's) I've indicated as a number from which a can send SMS with specific commands for instance, activating Siren? Yesterday something sent from my phone 4 messages to Czech Republic and about 30 messages(!!) to my girlfriend's number (according to my billing). All between 22:46 and 22:48. Luckily all these SMSs have cost of 0.00 in my billing. My girlfriend didnt received these 30 messages (they were only visible in my billing). What do you think?
UPDATE: All messages were free in my billing, because a had no money on my pre-paid account that evening... I'll let you know if my operator get money for these messages after I add funds to account. Previous SMSes sent from my phone (September, 21) were paid.
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issues with SMS sending have been fixed in the newest update. please check.
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for the moment there are not problems :)
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As I didn't wanted to start new topic. Here it comes again:
1. On the SIM card that was registered as a first one configured the Avast app.
2. I did a Anti Theft set up
3. Changed the SIM card for another one that I use to check if everything works
4. All the functions worked so I have switched the 1st SIMcard back in
5. Then logged in to check my billing on mobile provider's website
What I have noticed my 1st card was not charged but the second one (lets say thieve's card) had already sent two messages to that Czechs number within 4 minutes.
Did anybody had that issue since last post here (05.10.2012) ?
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I installed avast on my mobile.
I wanted to test the theft function. But this was a little bit of a trap. This cost me now quite a lot of money.
In 5 seconds 5 SMS were sent (in total over 40 SMS).
The worst: also to CZ number 420720001669 (I haven't read anything about this...)
I think this is a little bit to buggy!
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if there is an untrusted SIM (second card), it is OK that avast sends SMS to our server.
As I didn't wanted to start new topic. Here it comes again:
1. On the SIM card that was registered as a first one configured the Avast app.
2. I did a Anti Theft set up
3. Changed the SIM card for another one that I use to check if everything works
4. All the functions worked so I have switched the 1st SIMcard back in
5. Then logged in to check my billing on mobile provider's website
What I have noticed my 1st card was not charged but the second one (lets say thieve's card) had already sent two messages to that Czechs number within 4 minutes.
Did anybody had that issue since last post here (05.10.2012) ?
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what exactly did you do?
PS: you'll get warned in a SEPARATE dialog box about the SMS when you register to the account. you need to read! :-)
I installed avast on my mobile.
I wanted to test the theft function. But this was a little bit of a trap. This cost me now quite a lot of money.
In 5 seconds 5 SMS were sent (in total over 40 SMS).
The worst: also to CZ number 420720001669 (I haven't read anything about this...)
I think this is a little bit to buggy!
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Hello,
I have a problem, why Avast Anti-Theft send SMS to a number of Czech Republic (420720001669)?
Each SMS to Czech Republic cost me 0,26€ and it send 5 SMS!!
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this is to keep our servers up-to-date about phone number state.
in the next release we'll include an option to turn those SMS off.
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All very well and good but I've uninstalled it because it's just cost me $3.25!
Thank you for that...
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Hello,
I installed the last version of Avast this week and the 16 january 2013 an SMS was sent to 420720001669 costing me 0.30 €.
The bug is not resolved yet...
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this is no bug. we send the SMS to report SIM status but try to do it only if really necessary.
in next version I'll include a setting to turn this off.
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this is no bug. we send the SMS to report SIM status
What does trigger this action?
in next version I'll include a setting to turn this off.
Good.
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the action is triggered if we find a SIM in the phone where we do have no phone number record on the server yet.
this is no bug. we send the SMS to report SIM status
What does trigger this action?
in next version I'll include a setting to turn this off.
Good.
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the action is triggered if we find a SIM in the phone where we do have no phone number record on the server yet.
My usage bill also shows 5 SMS sent to Avast no. this happened with following conditions:
1) I switched my SIM card with a new one.
2) My earlier SIM was still working perfectly.
3) Avast anti-theft was properly working and Friend nos. were correctly saved in settings.
So my point is:
1) when I had proper settings with Friend nos. saved, why did your software sent SMS to your no. and not to my back-up numbers?
2) why your account profile page gives options for activating/de-activating e-mails but not SMS?
Kindly add features to give preference to e-mails or SMS to Friend numbers and not Avast no.
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you changed the sim which will trigger such sms (but only until it works at least one time).
as said, it will be possible to disable the setting in next release.
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Hi,
The last update was apparently "February 26, 2013", but I don't see an option to disable it. I was charged $0.50 for this issue so unless I just didn't see the option, I may just consider another app.
Hope to hear a response soon. Thanks!
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Hi,
the last update was for Mobile Security, not Anti-Theft. You will see separate notification for Anti-Theft updates.
Filip
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Hi,
Thank you for the response. Do you happen to have an estimate as to when the next Anti-Theft update will be?
Thanks.
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Hi,
I'm not working on Anti-Theft so I don't know about its schedule, sorry :)
Filip
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Same problem here. Why sending so many SMS? Not enough with just one to notify the SIM change? I've spent some unexpected bucks in this (SMSs to my girlfriend and to Czech Republic) and that's not right. You SHOULD prevent about it and fix the "sending lots of sms" thing. Also, why can't I choose an email or wapp or gtalk or any other messaging app installed to send FREE alerts? Thanks.
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hello the new updated version of anti-theft allows you to disable sending of those sms (go to avast account settings within your anti-theft client).
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You said ATT tries to send sms until one is successful which is the right way to go IMO. Is the behavior the same for sms that go to the friend number registered ?
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I discovered today that Anti-Theft sent four SMS messages to the Czech Republic during the last week. At first, I couldn't figure out what it was. I called my carrier to see what was going on. Then, I realized it must have been an app doing this. I did a Google search and found out that Avast was the recipient.
I now realize this happened because I changed the SIM card on my phone and that the email messages I was getting back were triggered by the SMS messages sent from the device to you. So that's a good thing. Still, it's kind of strange to have a security app generating unexpected charges, however small, on my mobile phone account. You might consider a phone line in countries where you have a lot of users so that this can be avoided. Easy for me to complain like this and ask you to spend money for a service for a free app, I know. The charge is a minor cost if it helps to recover a lost or stolen device.
I'd recommend adding a line to your email messages that indicates the device's location that mentions that SMS charges may be being incurred as a result of messaging from a possibly lost or stolen device. It would be an automated thing that wouldn't cost anyone any time, other than the minor task of programming it in. It would help users to understand what's going on and explain otherwise mysterious charges.
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good idea!
by the way, you can turn off that SMS sending in Anti-Theft (avast! Account settings) if you want.
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:-[
I have the same problem and 3 sms were sent last week for which i was charged
This is now May 2013, so does not seem to have been sorted
I have now deregistered my phone on my avast account, dont seem to be able to reregister it now!!
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as i said, you can turn this off.
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how to the turn off this
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open anti-theft go to avast! account -> uncheck checkbox
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We'll we are fuming. Just noticed unbilled charges on our phones and we have 10 international text call charges in the last two days. Googling the number led me here and to a blog from 2012 where others highlighted the same problem and a reply from Avast saying they were working on fixing this bug. Two years later this is still happening and is totally unacceptable and just reminds me of a huge scam. We have now taken Avast off our phones (they don't make that easy neither), off our PCs and will be telling our friends and family to remove Avast as well.
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Avast Anti Virus triggered somany messages to above said number, for which I got huge International SMS charges from my Telephone service provide. The total amount for last 4 months is Indian Rupees 800 (approximately US$ 14).
Would request everyone, not to install / use Avast Antivirus software in your mobiles till the problem get resolved.
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Avast Anti Virus triggered somany messages to above said number, for which I got huge International SMS charges from my Telephone service provide. The total amount for last 4 months is Indian Rupees 800 (approximately US$ 14).
Would request everyone, not to install / use Avast Antivirus software in your mobiles till the problem get resolved.
http://blog.avast.com/2014/07/02/how-to-prevent-unnecessary-costs-of-avast-sms-notifications-when-replacing-your-sim-card/
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Why can't you just store a secure cache within the smartphone containing a whitelist of preappoved SIM cards and geolocations where NO alarms would be sent ?
This way, no additional cost: we can change the SIM at home in out "secure area": we authenticate us n the application and approve the new SIM from there (which are then stored in a local cache with a strng encryption.
Next time we'll use one of these SIM cards there will be no alarm at all sent to any network. And no need to worry about 2 SMS being sent (each one costing 0.30€) evrytime our phone goes out of battery and is powered on again once recharged.
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Well this is nice. Two billings ago I noticed one SMS charge to the Czech Republic. $0.20 no big deal.
Next billing cycle there were 4 so now $0.80. On this one I called Sprint. Mentioned it and wanted it blocked but they didn't do it for whatever reason.
This last bill I had 290 SMS messages sent to the Czech Republic! 290!!!! a $58 charge!!!!
290 International Text Messages - Czech Republic-Incl @ $.20/msg $58.00
Sprint did remove it from my bill and they blocked the number but WTF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Why would ANY app EVER send a text message from a phone without asking???????????? Especially when it costs the end user money!!!!
Now even before the Sprint mess mentioned above another MAJOR issue I had is a month or two ago I had a friends cell added as my "friend" on the web site and the security app installed. I had issues with my phone texting him messages about my SIM card being removed and a security warning about the phone being stolen. I have Sprint, I don't even HAVE a SIM card! I never told the web site my phone was stolen!
MY PHONE WAS NOT STOLEN. No SIM card was removed as I could not do that if I wanted to, it has no removable SIM card!
That mess cost my friend about $35 in charges (which I had to pay him for) as he did not have unlimited texts!
This happened many times and I had issues trying to remove his number from the web site....
I finally figured out what it was and had to re-install Avast to use the uninstall option and UN-installed the security app but the Sprint issue mentioned at the top STILL HAPPENED!!!! So the uninstall may not have worked after all!
Is there a removal tool that will completely remove this crap!!!!
I will NEVER E V E R use an Avast product again.....
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I can confirm that this bug is still out there !!
phones with avast anti-thefts getting charged for SMS to the number 420720001669 !!!!
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Why would ANY app EVER send a text message from a phone without asking???????????? Especially when it costs the end user money!!!!
>> You have been asked during installation process and this setting is quite good described in manual, blog and support pages. Also here you can find similar questions..
Now even before the Sprint mess mentioned above another MAJOR issue I had is a month or two ago I had a friends cell added as my "friend" on the web site and the security app installed. I had issues with my phone texting him messages about my SIM card being removed and a security warning about the phone being stolen. I have Sprint, I don't even HAVE a SIM card! I never told the web site my phone was stolen!
MY PHONE WAS NOT STOLEN. No SIM card was removed as I could not do that if I wanted to, it has no removable SIM card!
>> Your vendor provides a SIMless phone to you, which means, that your IMSI is leased from his CDN and can be changed without your consent. Antitheft is exactly watching a SIM card change (IMSI change) - this is its basic feature - so as you set it antitheft provides you an information about IMSI change exactly as it should - it behaves as expected. In case your IMSI is changed very often, please contact your vendor (it can be caused by roaming f.e.). So your device was not stolen, but your SIM card number has been changed and you set you want to be informed about it and you want to know the new IMSI number and your friend will be informed by SMS.
That mess cost my friend about $35 in charges (which I had to pay him for) as he did not have unlimited texts!
This happened many times and I had issues trying to remove his number from the web site....
>> You can do it in the application itself, see "Friends" part.
I finally figured out what it was and had to re-install Avast to use the uninstall option and UN-installed the security app but the Sprint issue mentioned at the top STILL HAPPENED!!!! So the uninstall may not have worked after all!
Is there a removal tool that will completely remove this crap!!!!
>> Yes, it is and it is called (surprisingly) "Avast Anti-Theft removal wizard" and can be found in Avast Mobile Security > Antitheft. Removing Mobile security only does not affect Antitheft.
I will NEVER E V E R use an Avast product again.....
>> We are sorry about it, really, but your troubles are not an application mistake.
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This anti theft feature is clearly a bug as it should be off by default. It cost me more than 20€ for a free application within 20 days, I can't recommend such a mess.
I want my money back! >:(
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It is not a bug as svhelak explained.
It is supposed to work that way.
The only one you can blame is yourself.
Money back for something you haven't paid for?
It is a free product !
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And the feature is off by default.
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Thanks to AVAST anti theft for sending 184 SMS to Checz or USA numbers, so I was charged 110Euros in one month.!!!
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Thanks to AVAST anti theft for sending 184 SMS to Checz or USA numbers, so I was charged 110Euros in one month.!!!
https://blog.avast.com/2014/07/02/how-to-prevent-unnecessary-costs-of-avast-sms-notifications-when-replacing-your-sim-card/
When installing Avast AntiTheft you were warned that send SMS is necessary to find a lost phone. You seem to have changed your SIM there...
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Hello,
Sadly I had the same issue, 11 SMS from foreign country to Czec Republic, so yes we will say it's my fault because I really didn't see this coming with the anti theft product... But maybe AVAST should change something to let dumb people like me having a chance to avoid this case.
Beside this, my phone sent also 30 SMS to my wife (which was just near me) but she received nothing visible on her phone ! It's exactly during the same period, so it's sure it's a bug link to this poor application (and we were in a trip, so too bad, each SMS was 0.30€...).
My whole family use AVAST on our computers since so many years, it's a big deception.
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I have taken Avast off everything I have after being charged £7.70 in 3 days for text msgs. I have also been on to Vodafone who have blocked the number and are going to look into it.
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This is soooo strange can someone explain what is a chech phone number doing in this app. What is its function. Relay strangeeee. I want an explanation i am also a programmer and i will understand.
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got it. Sorry. This is the best antitheft app aout there ;) it has a few bugs but i hope you fix them.
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I just realized this same issue. From 16 oct - 18 oct 2015, i was charged for 14 ISMSs sending to Czech republic number +420720001669 for 3.540 US Dollar (126 Thai Baht). How do you compensate this to me? RVSP
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This is soooo strange can someone explain what is a chech phone number doing in this app. What is its function. Relay strangeeee. I want an explanation i am also a programmer and i will understand.
All i know is Avast is a Czech company.
references:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avast_(software_company)
http://blog.m-sec.net/2012/avast-mobile-security-is-sending-sms-without-user-knowledge/#respond
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Forza,
no compensation will be given.
It was your own choice to have the option enabled.
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After I made the upgrade to pay-Avast and after having paid the fee , I get, a couple of times per week, a charge on my provider's account of €0.40, totalling by now around €13.00 for SMS messages to the Czech Republic, destination number 420720001660.
1. Can Avast please stop this practice?
2. Why this charge?
3. If this involves a bug, how can the safety net of Avast fail to block it?
4. If the only solution is to stop the tracking feature, Avast please do so forthwith.
5. How do I recoup the charges?
Emmy (emma.van.winkel@telenet.be)
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Looks like we have another one who likes to receive spam mails.
Emma, it is a really bad practice to post your email on a public webboard.
Bad guys are harvesting them and abuse them.
Please read the thread before posting in it.
Answer has already been given in replies 43, 48 and others.
1]
It is not up to avast to stop the sms notifications.
You can disable them if you want.
2]
It is not avast that get the money from the sms's.
It is your service provider charging you for them.
3]
It is not a bug.
4]
See 1]
5]
It is/was your own choice to have the option enabled.
And since it is not a bug and not avast who charged you, you are not entitled to a refund.
If you get a refund, fall on your knees and kiss the ground. ;D
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I don't know whether this is what happens to other people, but it seems I received an email from Avast on each occasion it sent an SMS. That email just told me the location of my phone with no explanation as to why it was being sent.
It would be helpful if the email said that it was as a result of a SIM change and that an SMS had been sent to Avast to trigger it.
It would also be helpful if the system didn't keep sending SMS's at random intervals from one SIM change without checking that this was desired.
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Andy,
for support please start your own thread.
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I have just had £7.35 in international texts to 420720001669, I Googled the number and came across this thread. I have just uninstalled Avast and reinstalled it, part of the Anti-Theft set-up shows the test option with a warning about the potential cost. I can't recall this when originally setting it up but guess it must have been there, my query is why there is no record of these text in my phones text log if there had been I might have spotted them before incurring more charges?
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I don't know whether this is what happens to other people, but it seems I received an email from Avast on each occasion it sent an SMS. That email just told me the location of my phone with no explanation as to why it was being sent.
It would be helpful if the email said that it was as a result of a SIM change and that an SMS had been sent to Avast to trigger it.
It would also be helpful if the system didn't keep sending SMS's at random intervals from one SIM change without checking that this was desired.
I've been having the same problem. HTC One M9 running Android Marshmallow. No SIM card change at all. 20% of my current bill are charges related to SMS's being sent to by Avast Anti theft to Avast. There is obviously some bug in the application that fires off in some cases...
I don't want a refund, but I don't think all cases are being caused by user ignorance or user error here. In my case the application definitely feels faulty so I've just removed it.
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I have the latest Avast running on a Moto G LTE phone (installed more than a year ago, regularly updated) under Android 5.1.1. Recently I noticed that upon every reboot the phone sends 2 messages to each of my AntiTheft contacts, as well as one SMS to +42072001669 and another to +338420720001669 (fails to be delivered to the latter).
THIS IS SURELY A BUG, as I have not changed or removed the SIM for ages. _The behavior is apparently caused only by shutdowns due to low battery_.
If this matters for troubleshooting: my phone is also protected by a pattern and the SIM is set to unlock with a PIN code.
BTW, the "empty" messages sent to my contacts do not reach them, even though those numbers are operated by the same cellular network and the plain old Samsung phones run no blocking software.
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DO NOT INSTALL THIS APP.....unless you are happy being charged 20p for every SMS sent to AVAST. (17 in 2 days in my case) and that is with PREMIUM version. The FREE version is probably more, so check you bills regularly.
There is NO WAY to STOP this so just REMOVE the APP. There are better APPs available in the UK that WONT charge you for SMS (use UK numbers) or use other methods for communicating with your phone.
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Please check the facts before posting GeoMor.
1]
There is no premium version of Anti-Theft and there never was.
2]
You can disable sending the SMS if you want.
3]
If there are charges for a SMS and if so how much depend on the phone provider you have.
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1 / Fact - I am a premium AVAST customer and I am still charged for SMS to a Czech number. This is unreasonable in this day and age. A UK virtual SMS could be set up easily (even if only for PAYING customers). Avast obviously know how how to do this, but don't....I wonder why? I will NOT pay AVAST a PREMIUM fee in future as there is obvioulsy no reason to do so.
2/ Would have been helpful (as you seem so knowledgeable, as to how to do this).....but may be you don't know? Anyone else know?
3/ Obviously these are SMS charges highlighted on my bill (17 off over 2 days). these are international SMS charges from UK (so warning other UK users to BEWARE) :)
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1]
As I said there is no premium version of Anti-Theft.
There is only one free version.
There have been in the past a version for rooted devices but that also was free.
2]
http://lmgtfy.com/?q=avast+disable+sms
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If anyone KNOWS how to disable this feature (in the current Avast version) this then perhaps they can post a helpful response.
Thanks
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The instructions are on the avast website, even on several pages.
Only thing you have to do is read it.
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Please, read https://blog.avast.com/2014/07/02/how-to-prevent-unnecessary-costs-of-avast-sms-notifications-when-replacing-your-sim-card/ to know more about why Avast needs to communicate via SMS and how to prevent unnecessary costs. Read also: https://www.avast.com/faq.php?article=AVKB135
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Very helpful, thanks
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Very helpful, thanks
You're welcome. Come back any time you need help :)
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I have check my phone billing as per below since Nov 2015..
Shit. i didnt see this transaction.
Avast. can u explain this why u guys charge this amount and im also paying for yearly subscription.
16 Nov 2015 - 15 Dec 2015 - Usage of RM 9.00 ( 18 SMS Sent)
16 Mar 2016 - 15 Apr 2016 - Usage of RM 17.50 ( 35 SMS Sent)
16 Feb 2016 - 15 Mar 2016 - Usage of RM 16.00 ( 32 SMS Sent)
16 Jan 2016 - 15 Feb 2016 - Usage of RM 20.00 ( 40 SMS Sent)
16 Dec 2015 - 15 Jan 2016 - Usage of RM 14.00 ( 28 SMS Sent)
This is seems not appropriate .
User.
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It is your phone provider that is charging you not avast.
Besides that, you are not paying for a yearly subscription.
AMS and anti-theft are free tools, there is no payed version of them (anymore).
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Yes it is my phone provider stated the charges.
but why Avast "can u explain this why u guys charge this amount and im also paying for yearly subscription" which i pay in google play store at RM 49.00 per year.
and what do you request my phone to send over to Czech Republic. What is the content??
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As I said, avast isn't charging you anything.
https://www.avast.com/faq.php?article=AVKB135
https://blog.avast.com/2014/07/02/how-to-prevent-unnecessary-costs-of-avast-sms-notifications-when-replacing-your-sim-card/
https://www.avast.com/faq.php?article=AVKB66