Your threat assessment is way off.
So, you import a phone. What sim do you use? Where do you use it? When do you use it? Who do you contact with it?
All of that is more valuable and easier to get for the police than some sort of modification of firmware or platform as it passes through customs.
If in doubt, flash your own firmware.
If this is actually a threat assessment to you, asking on Lemmy is the wrong place. You need people with the same experience that an entire country has at their disposal.
If it’s a concern as opposed to an actual threat, buy some 2nd hand phones from random places and buy some prepaid sims (ideally via smurfs or black market means). And be aware of how you use them
Steve@communick.news 3 weeks ago
Unless you’re actively being targeted for some specific reason (NSA kind of reason) in practical terms it’s unheard of.
stinerman@midwest.social 3 weeks ago
Yes. If you’re a rando, sorry you’re just not that interesting.
If you’re someone the US considers an actual threat, then yeah don’t buy anything from the US (use a 3rd party). But if you’re that big of a threat you already know that.
Jimmycrackcrack@lemmy.ml 3 weeks ago
Their question seems to be about buying their from outside the US rather than from. They’re asking about risks involved with importing stuff there.
WhyJiffie@sh.itjust.works 2 weeks ago
if you are not white, are you closer to being a rando, or to being (perceived as) an actual threat?