What’s a Mobile Proxy?
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Instead of a residential IP address or a VPN, a mobile proxy is a gateway that gives a device a mobile IP address. In other words, mobile proxies hide the user’s real address by giving the impression that they are connecting to the internet through a mobile data network.
This may seem like a minor change from home proxies, but due to the design of mobile data networks, there are significant internal variations that make mobile proxies considerably more likely to be used by scammers and fraudsters trying to engage in illegal or criminal online activity.
It must be mentioned that the reason mobile proxies are termed that is because they use a mobile network’s IP address. They are not always associated with or run on mobile phones or other mobile devices.
Similar to this, if a mobile device, such a smartphone, is linked to a domestic network, it lacks a mobile IP (for instance, when connecting from a home Wi-Fi.)
An IP address that is simultaneously utilised and controlled by several people is known as a shared proxy. To mask and hide their actual IP addresses when online, multiple users share the same IP address given to them by a shared proxy.
The Operation of Mobile Proxies?
Similar to residential proxies, mobile proxies assign a certain kind of IP address— one that is a part of a mobile data network—to any kind of device via gateway software.
A mobile device must first connect to a mobile cell tower in order to receive an available IP and access the internet. The same tower will serve as the connection point for a number of mobile IPs from the same network.
A mobile proxy can be used from a device other than a smartphone or tablet. As long as the proxy makes use of mobile hardware that enables their device to read a SIM card, this is possible. This could, for instance, be a portable dongle.
They have access to all IP addresses associated with this carrier, which number in the hundreds and tens of thousands, as mobile IPs are assigned by the mobile network carrier.
However, a key feature of mobile proxies is that they assign non-unique IP addresses, which might be advantageous for anyone wishing to conceal their online intents.
In addition to rotating and dedicated mobile proxies, there are also 4G and 5G mobile proxy kinds.
Some Peoples also search how to set proxy on mobile data to change their IP Address to access any blocked site on Android.
How Are Mobile Proxies Configured?
The two main approaches for building a mobile proxy are as follows:
Software that converts a device into a mobile proxy node is produced by proxy providers. Although it is possible to be operating a proxy node without being aware of it, this is typically done on purpose.
After gathering a number of SIM cards, SIM card farms create proxies with the aid of mobile data dongles and the necessary software.
Once set up, each of the aforementioned items is then offered to anyone interested in using a mobile proxy to access the internet, or even hired in exchange for frequently illegal goods and services.
Are Mobile Proxies Distinct from Other Proxy Types?
Yes, mobile proxies differ significantly from other types of proxies in a number of key ways, all of which are caused by the manner in which cell carriers give IP addresses to mobile devices.
The techniques listed below can be used to hide one’s IP address or location on the internet. But how do they stack up against one another?
| Residential Proxy | VPN | Mobile Proxy | Tor | |
| Assigned IP type | Residential IP, assumed to be provided by a land-based traditional ISP | Static, non-unique | Mobile IP, assumed to be provided by mobile network | The end node’s IP |
| Proxy detectability | Medium-hard to identify as a proxy | Easy to identify as a proxy (known addresses) | Almost impossible to identify as a proxy | Moderately easy to identify (lists of known end nodes) |
| Uniqueness | Can request a dedicated IP, if needed | Can request a dedicated IP, if available | Can never be unique or private (IP address is always shared with others) | Cannot be unique (exit nodes ever-changing and shared with others) |
| IP reputation | Varies by residential proxy type | Medium IP reputation | Best IP reputation | Low IP reputation |
The comparison table shows that there are distinct variances across various proxy types, including home proxies, mobile proxies, VPNs, and onion routing services like Tor.
Why Do Mobile IPs Get Different Alloted?
Mobile data networks do not provide each device a unique IP address due to the structure of their design.
Depending on the mobile network, they may issue the exact same IP address to dozens or even hundreds of mobile devices during periods of high activity. This is a result of the lack of IPv4 and the carrier-grade NAT technology (CGN) employed on mobile data networks to overcome this problem.
In 2019, for instance, Vodafone claimed 17.2 million active members in the UK, but only 131,000 IP addresses were really accessible. All 17.2 million of Vodafone’s customers received these.
In other words, while the network demand was high, 131 individuals may have been using the same IP address. These numbers fluctuate throughout time, but the fundamental notion never changes:
On mobile data networks, the same IP address is issued to hundreds of different devices. This is why mobile IPs are so helpful to fraudsters and so unlikely to be blocked by websites.
They won’t prohibit someone based on their IP, regardless of how they are acting, since nobody wants to take the chance of blocking so many people because one of them could be a criminal.
Naturally, con artists are keen to exploit this.
Mobile proxies: How Are They Used in Fraud?
When trying any kind of fraud, from card testing and arbitrage to auction fraud and beyond, tech-savvy criminals can employ mobile proxies to avoid detection and fabricate their location.
Mobile proxies are a component of fraudsters’ OPSEC and serve as a tool to aid in their concealment rather than as a means of committing fraud.
This is mostly caused by the above-described technological peculiarities of mobile proxies. Websites and online services are unlikely to outright ban any mobile IPs because doing so would prevent legitimate users from accessing their services and content, or worse, prevent customers from purchasing their goods. This is because they are well aware that dozens, if not hundreds, of users can share the same IP but have nothing else in common besides their mobile carrier/mobile proxy provider.
How Can Mobile Proxy-Enabled Fraud Be Stopped?
No matter how one of the mobile IP-using devices behaves, no one wants to run the risk of blocking dozens of decent, law-abiding customers.
And because of this, fraudsters who utilise mobile proxies are more likely to get away with it, which presents challenges for those who employ conventional anti-fraud techniques.
However, advanced anti-fraud protection goes beyond only looking at the IP, making it easier for fraudsters to go beyond one’s security measures when they use mobile proxies. Simple IP reputation filtering is insufficient as a form of defence.
Instead, IP analysis is just one of many pieces of information that should help determine how much risk each user might present. For instance, velocity checks add the time dimension, whereas proxy detection informs us of the likelihood that each user first arrived through a proxy.
All of these factors, together with extra data obtained through Shared Proxies Built to Scale, will combine to provide the easy answer to the question, “How hazardous could this individual be and what do I need to ask them to decide to trust them?”
The fact that this strategy handles people individually rather than punishing those who employ advanced technology without malicious intent is crucial. In this manner, fraudsters who utilise mobile proxies are discouraged at the lowest possible cost to legitimate customers and the company.
Wrapping up
By using above method Proxies set up may not affect any other apps on your device besides browser which you are using.
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