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Is this spyware or malware? galaxy S8
ABXYNS
Enthusiast - Level 2

Hello,

I received a refurbished phone from asurion  when I was setting it up I entered my google account on my galaxy S8 and made it to the home screen I went in  messages in Verizon message + and there was a text sent to a phone number that was not familiar to me. I googled the number and it was a Canadian ISP . I live in the U.S. 

the body of the text was the following:

SMATMOTN 0177d7d0423b4140466d8b75c3b35b86f27e920f4254dccb9fd5cb16e2e182

I talked to asurion and they stated there is no way malware or spyware can be on phone because they reinstall software on refurbished phones.

I talked to two people at Verizon one said nothing to worry about the other said it was spyware and to do a factory reset.

I did factory reset when this happened but I do not trust it because from what i read a factory reset does not solve malware.

This happened yesterday then this morning while  was sleeping I got a email from amazon stating someone was trying to login to my amazon account.

Does anyone know what this text that sent from my phone can be? I did not install anything it was right after I turned on and set up. I read a forum stating it could be related to Samsung health friend challenge but I do not use and I could not replicate by installing Samsung health it did not send a text message. I never had any previous issues like this my phone never sent a text prior to this one and I had the same google account.

What should I do to gain trust with my phone after this other than factory reset?

Thank you

Re: Is this spyware or malware? galaxy S8
bearone21
Legend

"reinstall software"....probably a master reset.

block the number.

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Re: Is this spyware or malware? galaxy S8
ABXYNS
Enthusiast - Level 2

thanks by "reinstall software"....probably a master reset." do you mean factory reset or something more?

Re: Is this spyware or malware? galaxy S8
bearone21
Legend

i use the terms interchangeably.

Re: Is this spyware or malware? galaxy S8
vzw_customer_support
Customer Service Rep

ABXYNS, please do not give out any information to an unrecognized number. That seems to be a spam text message. You can block the number, and reach out anytime you get any other suspicious numbers reaching out to you. Have you received any messages like that recently? 

 

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Re: Is this spyware or malware? galaxy S8
ABXYNS
Enthusiast - Level 2

Just to be clear this number did not text me my phone randomly texted this number after I set up a refurbished phone from assurion. The text was in Message +

I did not text the number my phone texted i just took a screen shot and deleted before doing factory reset.

Since this post I contacted Tech Coach and they believe the NFL APP  caused it but could not tell me how or why.

So I did a factory reset, blocked the number and it has not happened since but i am super paranoid to begin with when something like this happens so I will not be doing to much on my phone for awhile and just keeping an eye for any strange activity.

If I posted anything in here I was not suppose to let me know and I can delete or you can delete post.

Re: Is this spyware or malware? galaxy S8
vzw_customer_support
Customer Service Rep

ABXYNS,

I can certainly understand your alarm. Seeing a text I didn't send would worry me too! After you signed into your Google account and your information was restored to your phone, including texts, did you see this same text located in your regular texting app? I'm afraid we aren't able to view links/screenshots here, but are you able to share the content of the message that your phone sent? 

 

Joseph_VZW
Follow us on TWITTER @VZWSupport
If my response answered your question please click the _Correct Answer_ button under my response. This ensures others can benefit from our conversation. Thanks in advance for your help with this!!

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Re: Is this spyware or malware? galaxy S8
bearone21
Legend

do you use the nfl app?

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Re: Is this spyware or malware? galaxy S8
ABXYNS
Enthusiast - Level 2

the text was sent to a phone number that came up as a canadian ISP provider. I am in the U.S.

the text body had the following:

SMATMOTN 0177d7d0423b4140466d8b75c3b35b86f27e920f4254dccb9fd5cb16e2e182

it was not a link

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Re: Is this spyware or malware? galaxy S8
ABXYNS
Enthusiast - Level 2

I do not use the NFL lap i was setting up phone and it was on wifi and all the apps were installing and I was deleting the apps I do not use and NFL is one of the ones I usually delete I am pretty sure I deleted it right away . I saw the text that was sent withing five minutes of setting up my phone.

I also read in forums that peole had this happen to them if you google SMATMOTN  which was part of the text that was sent it as happened to others. Some blame it on the Samsung health app I do not use that ether.

Thanks for help everyone. I am wondering since i had a refurbished phone even if this was not a virus and had something to do with an app how can it send it to a phone number right after you set up your phone? Who was this phone number? I did not call it what if it was old data that somehow was on my phone when I received it from someone eases contacts?

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