Fake Lock Screen

[Pauladams14]

Hi guys!

First post here!

I have had a look online but haven't managed to find any real answers to help...

I have got a Samsung Galaxy S7 edge, I've just unlocked my phone and have received a fake screen, which I swipe and then use my finger print as per usual..

I have only have it for an hour or so but it is annoying me already! I haven't installed any apps recently.

While looking online I did see something about the ES File Explorer app, which I do have, I uninstalled it. But I'm still having the same problem!

Any help would be very much appreciated. I've attached a screen shot of the fake unlock screen.

Thanks for your help!

 

[Javier P]

Welcome to the forums. Do you have any cleaner or battery/RAM booster installed in your phone? Any app by Cheetah Mobile or DU?

 

[Pauladams14]

Hi Javier,

No, not to my knowledge at all.

 

[Mike Dee]

Are you using a third party launcher or some kind of theme that has a lock screen enabled? Try and see it happens in safe mode

 

[Mike Dee]

also look in your settings under device administrators. There may be something enabled in there that will give you a clue.

 

[Pauladams14]

Hi Mike,

No I'm not using any third party launcher or anything like that.

After looking under device administrators it only has android device manager there.

Can you please explain to me the way to enter safe mode and leave safe mode to return to normal?

Many thabks

 

[Javier P]

There are many apps that have been pushing ads on the lock screen. Any of them in your phone?

GO (apps and widgets).
TouchPal.
Peel Smart Remote.
Z Camera.
Kitty Play.
Xender.
ES.
Amber weather ...

Another thing. When uninstalling any app, like you did with ES, remember first to 'force stop', clear data and then uninstall. This process is to avoid any file left behind after uninstalling an app.

 

[Pauladams14]

Hi, thanks for the advice, I have done that with ES, but it still dodnt work.

I don't have any of the other apps listed either =/

 

[Javier P]

Yeah, it can be tricky finding out which app is the culprit. Just an idea, maybe this app can be seen on the recent apps overview. Restart your phone and if you get the same lock screen ads open the recent apps and see what's listed in there.

 

[Pauladams14]

Is it possible that it was the outcome of an update? I havebt downloaded any apps in at least a week and a half and this first started today?

 

[Javier P]

Yeah, it could be an update. See in the Play Store which apps were recently updated, just in case.

 

[Pauladams14]

I'll give that a go, thanks for your help!

 

[Pauladams14]

So I have tried that, nothing.

I have deleted a lot of apps, still no luck.

I ran a Malware scan and there aren't any issues.

Any other suggestions guys?

 

[Javier P]

Have you already tried safe mode, as Mike Dee suggested? The right steps could be slightly different depending on your carrier and Android version. They are quite easy to find in your carrier support pages.

Also, we could try another approach. Open your download manager and see if there's any recent file there that you don't recognise. Do the same in your browser, checking out what's included under downloads.

 

[Javier P]

I found a similar report here.

https://us.community.samsung.com/t5/Galaxy-S8-Questions-and-Answers/Weird-lock-screen/td-p/121458

Apparently the culprit was TouchPal.

 

[Javier P]

Another thought. That ad in your screenshot seems cropped. Can you scroll it all the way down? Maybe you can get more information at the bottom. Also, what happens if you long press that screen?

 

[underway99]

Another thing. When uninstalling any app, like you did with ES, remember first to 'force stop', clear data and then uninstall. This process is to avoid any file left behind after uninstalling an app.

Great reminder. So many people don't know to do this.

 

[shadokat_ph]

Do you have clean master on your phone? I've seen a slide lock screen like that with clean master.

 

[Pauladams14]

So guys and girls. It turns out the problem was caused by am update on a game I downloaded called "Ball Smash" or something similar.

Followed thebateps on force stopping and clearing the data before uninstalling the app and that was the one that cured the problem.

Thanks everyone for your help.

Hope this saves someone a lot of time and ballache uninstalling apps unnecessarily!

 

[Javier P]

Great news! Glad you finally found the culprit and stopped those ads. Thanks for the follow up!