Pop up ads on S8?

[Android Central Question]

So recently I have been getting these fullscreen ads that pop up on my s8. My screen will go white and say "processing" just before an ad pops up, and I'll look at it using the recent button and the banner reads "advertising". I have used malwarebytes and lookout and none of them seem to catch it. I can't find any apps that seem suspicious either. Any tips?

 

[pkcable]

News Republic app maybe? OR some other ad supported app you recently installed?

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[noodlepunk]

Okay I have made an account, here is an image for reference as to what I mean.

 

[pkcable]

Ok it does NOT look like News Republic. I don't recognize their symbol at all. THAT is what you need to find. Let me do some digging.

 

[pkcable]

I tried to google search your image but it didn't lead me to the rogue app. You are going to have to manually check your apps list. Go to Settings, then Apps, then scroll through that list look for that symbol from the upper left of your photo, UNINSTALL that app! If you can't find the symbol then uninstall your other most recent apps.

 

[noodlepunk]

Okay so I have been sifting through my apps and I can't find any with that symbol. I went through he apps on my phone through settings and playstore and nothing? Would I have to FDR?

 

[pkcable]

Okay so I have been sifting through my apps and I can't find any with that symbol. I went through he apps on my phone through settings and playstore and nothing? Would I have to FDR?

That's an option, but let me see if I can get others to come help.

 

[noodlepunk]

Awesome thanks I'll wait til you find something.

 

[noodlepunk]

Awesome thanks I'll wait til you find something.

 

[Gayle Lynn]

An app can connect to an adserver. It won't be obvious. It could be anything. Wallpaper, theme, photo enhancement, 3rd part flashlight, anything from Cheetah.

You might not be able to figure out who. An app can update itself or drop some code. So factory wipe is a possibility.

Adguard.com is not on GPS but offers system wide firewall VPN to block ads.

A clean install, don't restore all your apps and data automatically to avoid future problems may seem extreme but best cure.

Having something that doesn't belong and might be capturing screen data? Not worth trouble that poses.

Even routers and many/moist Lot devices can be turned into bot or means of delivering malware.
https://www.routersecurity.org/bugs.php

 

[noodlepunk]

So you recommend a factory wipe as the best course of action

 

[pkcable]

I was really hoping others would come by now, but alas my friends may be busy.

 

[Chris5483]

Before factory resetting I would look through all your apps see if you installed any recently. You can either disable or uninstall all the sketchy apps and see if that stops it. My S8 doesn't do that so it has to be something that you installed.

 

[noodlepunk]

I have skimmed through and deleted my most recent apps installed but as of now I have not had any pop ups so we will have to wait I suppose.

 

[Chris5483]

Ok, if you want to screenshot all your apps that might help others figure it out also

 

[noodlepunk]

I was really hoping others would come by now, but alas my friends may be busy.

It's okay I'm I deleted my moat recently installed apps so hopefully that fixes it.

 

[Chris5483]

Ok let us know if it doesn't!

 

[noodlepunk]

So here all my apps that I have on my phone. The Wallpaper itself is a picture I took with my onboard camera app.

 

[Chris5483]

If it continues I would disable the following apps to see if it stops. You can also do it one by one if you want to see what specific app is doing it. I'm either never heard of or don't have any experience with the following apps: acorns, bitmoji, credit karma, group me, Metrolink, offer up, name is, pay range, phonto, Robinhood, and stock twits.

Any of those could be less than scrupulous, IMO.

 

[Javier P]

I would start uninstalling Clean Master. Just remember to 'force stop' and 'clear data' before uninstalling.