C. Scott Brown / Android Authority
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- A T-Mobile error caused some users to see names, photos and real-time places for random children instead of their own.
- A similar error affected the company’s car tracking service and showed other people’s vehicles and data.
- T-Mobile states that the problem originated from a system update and has now been fully resolved.
Technical updates do not always go well, but most errors are usually nothing but a mild disadvantage. However, a T-Mobile Glitch this week went far beyond that territory and became completely dangerous. Some customers who tried to check their children’s place of residence were instead shown names, pictures and real -time places to other people’s children across the country.
The problem affected users of T-Mobile Syncup Kids Tracking Service, which is marketed as a way for parents to monitor young children who do not yet have smartphones. A user, talking to 404 MediaSaid that she was unable to find her own children, but was instead shown profiles by several unknown children, including the school’s locations and pictures that clearly showed that they were minors.
“I wanted to log in and I couldn’t see my kids, but I could see a child in California,” the parents said to the publication, adding that the refreshing app would show new random children. The user provided screens showing the vulnerable data, which allegedly included names, last updated time stamps and precise street level locations.
Users also reported being shown other’s car data.
The problem was not limited to child equipment. Some T-Mobile customers that use the separate Syncup Drive service-calculated to track vehicle-reported also to be shown that other people’s car data. Post on Reddit Described users who see random vehicles appear in their accounts, complete with license signs and wins.
At x, user Harleyqgaming said on Tuesday that they “got places for children IDK (sic) from different states” while the user PF81831721 Complained that neither the old syncup app nor its replacement, the T -life, worked as expected.
T-Mobile has since acknowledged and apparently solved the problem. In a statement given to 404 Media And other outlets, the company said:
“Yesterday we solved a temporary system problem with our sync products as a result of a planned technology update. We are in the process of understanding potential impacts on a small number of customers and will reach all as needed. We apologize for any inconvenience.”
It is unclear how long the exposure lasted or how many customers were affected. Similar tracking errors have previously increased privacy and security risk alarms – especially when tied to services designed to protect children.