How do I prevent Alibaba.com app from installing on my phone?

[Android Central Question]

I've been seeing this app install by itself on my phone without my knowing, and each time I see it and uninstall it. I have to report the app, is there any way that I can prevent this app from installing on my phone? It's annoying.

 

[B. Diddy]

Welcome to Android Central! Which phone do you have? Some phones (especially ones direct from China) may have preinstalled system apps that automatically install other apps.

Please register on this forum, which will allow you to engage in discussion more easily, as well as post images. https://forums.androidcentral.com/ask-question/409154-join-android-central-community.html

 

[VidGameMaster 22]

I have an Android DOOGEE X5.

 

[VidGameMaster 22]

Not to mention that this has never happened at all, it just started in the middle of October. I've been having to uninstall the app so many times..

 

[VidJunky]

Ali is a shopping app and I can't imagine it being a preinstalled app but I have to ask anyway...

Was this a preinstalled app?

When you say uninstalled, you're sure you are removing the app from the device and not just uninstalling the updates?

Now that's out of the way...

Are all of your apps from the Play Store, Amazon App Store or your manufacturer's app store? Installing apps from unsecure places, like random internet app stores and APK markets, can lead to nefarious apps on your device. These apps can come with too many permissions. Permissions that when granted can cause a ton of other issues.

 

[VidGameMaster 22]

No Alibaba was never a preinstalled app on my phone. It was never in my phone's system when I had gotten it, Alibaba just installs itself on my phone without me knowing.

When I uninstall the app it's not the updates for it. I hardly use the Google Play store aside from updating apps I have installed or just searching the app store.

I've scanned my phone for viruses and I haven't found any viruses that cause Alibaba to install automatically. When I'm no

 

[B. Diddy]

Doogee is a Chinese brand, so I still wouldn't be surprised if one of their preinstalled bloatware apps was modified to install other apps automatically.

What happens if you uninstall the Alibaba app and then boot into Safe Mode? Does it reinstall again in Safe Mode? https://www.getdroidtips.com/boot-doogee-x5-max-into-mode/

 

[J Dubbs]

My wife bought a dragon touch phablet that came with similar pre-installed malware that couldn't be removed.... malwarebytes was able to disable 2 of the system apps which stopped the constant pop-ups, but the 3rd couldn't be disabled, so my wife didn't use it as a phone since it couldn't be trusted. That's also why I have an inherent distrust of chinese phones.

 

[VidGameMaster 22]

I haven't tried safe mode, but I will try it and see what happens.

 

[VidGameMaster 22]

So I tested it in safe mode, and Alibaba doesn't seem to install during that. However when I put my phone back in normal mode. The App store opens up to the Alibaba page

 

[mustang7757]

Looks like these lower end Chinese phones do these things not sure much can be done other then get another known brand device , I agree with @B. Diddy

 

[B. Diddy]

So I tested it in safe mode, and Alibaba doesn't seem to install during that. However when I put my phone back in normal mode. The App store opens up to the Alibaba page

Hard to say which app it could be, since any app can hide an auto-installer. You could try uninstalling apps one by one until the problem goes away.

Show us a list of apps you've installed, and maybe some of them might raise red flags.