I just recieved the following message from a new Forum user named "Dominic Huang".  He said he was a software developer from China and asked for my email info to beta test his product.  WHEN I RESPONDED IN MANDARIN (Yes, I speak Chinese) he didn't reply.  Based on his DJI Profile, he has made no public posts, made no comments, and has no friends with ony 17 points credited to his account.  I also found via google search that his only website link is a recently banned post on DJI Forum of similar message.

PLEASE BE CAUTIOUS IF SOMEONE ASKS YOU FOR SUCH INFORMATION.

Here is what he wrote me:

From Dominic Huang:

"Hi Capt Whitefoot, I'm a software developer based in China. I'm reaching out because recently my team is developing Preflight Checker, an iPad app that is able to automatically and quickly inspect your drones' healthy status (like battery, GPS, SD card, temperature, no-fly zone, weather changes), lets you see if it's advisable to take off, and offer a deeper look at what went wrong. It is compatible with all DJI drones, including Mavic, Spark, Phantom, Inspire or MT series.  We're now recruiting beta test users for the first time worldwide, if you’re interested and have 20-25 minutes, join us! Leave your email address below and I'll contact you later (:  Thanks in advance, Dominic"

I have notified DJI Admins of this suspicious private message and await their response.  In the mean time, I ask the rest of you to be alert and cautions.  This could be a scam or worse, a virus trap.  
Thanks!

Nothing bothers me worse then these creepers with long feelers...

Gone Fishing...


RedHotPoker

RedHotPoker Posted at 2017-9-11 21:21
Nothing bothers me worse then these creepers with long feelers...

Gone Fishing...

I get 3-4 SCAM calls a week from India.  One day its "The IRS" threatening to arrest me, the next day its "Microsoft tech support".  Forgive me if I get a bit edgy every time someone asks for my info.

Capt Whitefoot Posted at 2017-9-11 21:27
I get 3-4 SCAM calls a week from India.  One day its "The IRS" threatening to arrest me, the next day its "Microsoft tech support".  Forgive me if I get a bit edgy every time someone asks for my info.

I love the furnace cleaners who continue to call me.

They don't get it, I live in an apartment, but they think I need their services.  Ha


I should book an appointment and when they arrive, tell them the furnace is in the basement...  ;-)

When Microsoft calls me, from India, I insist the Windows computer suddenly lit itself on fire, what should I do? ;-)

RedHotPoker

OK, where are the cops when you need them...who is minding the store???
Have to admit, did not see this coming.  I got the exact same PM only addressing me.  Really thought nothing of it, nor any reason to check it or doubt it.  It was only dumb luck that I didn't give him my e-mail address.  So, what I wanna know is, is there a policy procedure or process that lays out how DJI will contact or reach out to forum members to participate in any testing of any kind.  
IF NOT, then there should be or this kind of crap wont stop any time soon.  Now that I have been warned about this possibility, anyone claiming to be DJI who PMs me will be considered suspect from the get go, somehow I doubt they want that to happen either.
Thanks for the noggins up on this, and opening my eyes as well!

That seems to be targeted very well.
Maybe they are indeed developing something.
Thanks for pointing this out.

Thanks for bringing this to our attention. We are aware of this and will take care of it.

DJI Susan Posted at 2017-9-12 00:13
Thanks for bringing this to our attention. We are aware of this and will take care of it.

Aloha Susan,

     Mahalo for the help!  I got one to.

Aloha and Drone On!

DJI Susan Posted at 2017-9-12 00:13
Thanks for bringing this to our attention. We are aware of this and will take care of it.

Thank you, Susan.  I just wanted to make sure if this was legit or not.  Nobody wants to turn their quadcopter into a brick.  I just assume that a real company would have their own drones to crash in some secret lab somewhere.

I got a PM from him, too.

Capt Whitefoot Posted at 2017-9-11 21:27
I get 3-4 SCAM calls a week from India.  One day its "The IRS" threatening to arrest me, the next day its "Microsoft tech support".  Forgive me if I get a bit edgy every time someone asks for my info.

Capt Whitefoot Posted at 2017-9-11 21:27
I get 3-4 SCAM calls a week from India.  One day its "The IRS" threatening to arrest me, the next day its "Microsoft tech support".  Forgive me if I get a bit edgy every time someone asks for my info.

I get them to. mine is always trying to sell Meds.  its always people from the middle east. and with names like Tom.  

I don't even like the thought of another app having access to my drone.... I don't need an app to tell my if I have enough battery power.  Ugh.....

blackcrusader Posted at 2017-9-12 05:14
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YM0k_CVQFoM

LOL, thank you for sharing that.
Yes, prior to owning my P4P, wasting scammers' time was a video hobby of mine too!

rwcreigh@comcas Posted at 2017-9-12 05:25
I get them to. mine is always trying to sell Meds.  its always people from the middle east. and with names like Tom.

... or 11 different scammers all named "Alan Morgan".   hahaha.  -Just shared the video reference.

MrRobert5823 Posted at 2017-9-12 07:18
I don't even like the thought of another app having access to my drone.... I don't need an app to tell my if I have enough battery power.  Ugh.....

Exactly!
"Beta test our software" to me translates to "Here, upload this to your $2000 drone and tell us if it crashes into a million pieces."

I had exactly the same and have ignored it.

Thanks for highlighting.

RedHotPoker Posted at 2017-9-11 21:35
I love the furnace cleaners who continue to call me.

They don't get it, I live in an apartment, but they think I need their services.  Ha

I tell the Microsoft support folks that my house was hit by lightning and my home office still smells like fried computer, they always hang up.
I think my best response to date was to a lady wanting to sell me an auto extended warranty. I told her I could talk, the coroner was removing my wife's body and a detective needs to speak to me - yeah, she hung up too.

Capt Whitefoot Posted at 2017-9-12 08:15
Exactly!
"Beta test our software" to me translates to "Here, upload this to your $2000 drone and tell us if it crashes into a million pieces."

EXACTLY!!! uh..... go away.... NOW!

MrRobert5823 Posted at 2017-9-12 07:18
I don't even like the thought of another app having access to my drone.... I don't need an app to tell my if I have enough battery power.  Ugh.....

Fly with your device in Airplane mode to stop all extraneous traffic... ;-)



RedHotPoker

I got it too, this morning, and reported it. I get a lot of spam and it goes directly to my spam folder in 99% of the cases, but this wasn't in the mail, it was from somebody who evidently ha access to the forum...  I couldn't access his profile, so probably it has just been blocked.

I thought you had to be friends with someone before they could pm you?

Kneepuck Posted at 2017-9-12 11:22
I thought you had to be friends with someone before they could pm you?

Look below any forum mod or members title for a blue box that says Personal Message.

Since they added this convenience, we can message anyone.


RedHotPoker

Kneepuck Posted at 2017-9-12 11:22
I thought you had to be friends with someone before they could pm you?

Check the PM I sent you.  hahaha

RedHotPoker Posted at 2017-9-12 12:46
Look below any forum mod or members title for a blue box that says Personal Message.

Since they added this convenience, we can message anyone.

Ah, lol.  I just now noticed that when you pointed it out.  They don't call me Captain Observant for nothing!

Kneepuck Posted at 2017-9-12 16:51
Ah, lol.  I just now noticed that when you pointed it out.  They don't call me Captain Observant for nothing!

Tap it and send me one. Ha



RedHotPoker

Capt Whitefoot Posted at 2017-9-12 01:44
Thank you, Susan.  I just wanted to make sure if this was legit or not.  Nobody wants to turn their quadcopter into a brick.  I just assume that a real company would have their own drones to crash in some secret lab somewhere.

As you mentioned, we deleted his post at the first time. We will post on the forum if DJI engineers need to collect any information. Be careful of telecommunication fraud anytime, you made it!

Capt Whitefoot Posted at 2017-9-12 08:08
... or 11 different scammers all named "Alan Morgan".   hahaha.  -Just shared the video reference.

mine are always names TOM.

rwcreigh@comcas Posted at 2017-9-27 05:16
mine are always names TOM.

LOL, Yeah, that too.  Somehow my phone number got on the India scam society's hotlist.  I spend hours wasting their time making them think I actually believe their scams.  Its more fun than TV, especially when they eventually ask you to please stop calling them back.  hahaha.

Capt Whitefoot Posted at 2017-9-27 07:00
LOL, Yeah, that too.  Somehow my phone number got on the India scam society's hotlist.  I spend hours wasting their time making them think I actually believe their scams.  Its more fun than TV, especially when they eventually ask you to please stop calling them back.  hahaha.

I started doing that to. and I even had them say at the end F U before hanging up

The "bad english" always get my first flag. The second would be backwards smiley. Might be how some of these drones just seem to fly away, after a bad app load from email trolling and subsequent hack.

rwcreigh@comcas Posted at 2017-9-27 10:56
I started doing that to. and I even had them say at the end F U before hanging up

LOL, they think they're tough when they start cursing about your mother, but its really FUNNY!   HAHAHA