Find My Mobile turns on by itself

[mellandroid]

I have a new Samsung Galaxy A50 purchased in July-2019 and running Pie, Android pie 9.

The option "find my mobile" turns itself on after I have turned the option off. It has done this 3 times. Does anyone know why this occurs and how it can be permanently be turned off ?

 

[B. Diddy]

I moved this from the Android Apps forum to the A50 forum, since the former is intended for developers to promote their apps.

Are you talking about Google's Find My Device, or Samsung's Find My Mobile? Go to Settings>Security>Device Administrators and uncheck Find My Device there. If you already did that, are you saying that it checks itself on again at some point later?

 

[mustang7757]

I have a new Samsung Galaxy A50 purchased in July-2019 and running Pie, Android pie 9.

The option "find my device" turns itself on after I have turned the option off. It has done this 3 times. Does anyone know why this occurs and how it can be permanently be turned off ?

You have deactivated it ? And it pops back on ?

 

[mellandroid]

Correct. I had turned "find my mobile" off and it turned on with out my authorization and this occurred three times. The Samsung Canadian forum has another user who has the same experience. This is an extreme security risk which I have reported to Samsung and I am awaiting a response.

 

[Rukbat]

If no one knows your Google login and password, it's not "an extreme security risk", it might be a slight one.

 

[B. Diddy]

Can you be more specific about where you turned off Find My Device? Was it in the main Security menu, or was it in the Device Administrators menu?

It's interesting that you feel this is an extreme security risk -- I would consider it a good security measure, so that if you ever lose your device (or have it stolen), you can remotely locate it, lock it and/or wipe it. The only way someone would be able to use it against you would be if that person knew your Google account and password (or was able to guess the password easily) -- so make sure your password is a strong one, and make sure 2-factor authentication is turned on as well. And if you ever log into your Google account on any public device (like computers at the library or at work), always make sure to log out -- that's your responsibility.

 

[mellandroid]

The point is this should never occur. To turn this function on I have to click on agree. I did not click on agree so this means something is overriding the option directly. I am with Chatr in Canada and cant help but wonder if the service provider has this ability to over ride this option. I am still waiting for a response from Samsung

 

[B. Diddy]

Can you answer my question in my last reply -- can you be more specific about where you turned off Find My Device? I can find toggles in two different places -- under the main Security menu, and also in the Device Administrators menu. Did you turn off the toggles in both of those areas?

 

[anon(10614692)]

Find My Device is Google, Find my Mobile is Samsung. Which one are you referring to? I can see you have emailed Samsung but you said that was about Find My Device which is Google.

 

[mellandroid]

When I asked Samsung they respoded. " I am sorry that the find my device option is turning on without my permission. Please remove the Samsung account and then restart the phone.

I did try the removal but it did not work. Another person in the Canada forum suggested disabling "google backup transport"

 

[mustang7757]

When I asked Samsung they respoded. " I am sorry that the find my device option is turning on without my permission. Please remove the Samsung account and then restart the phone.

I did try the removal but it did not work. Another person in the Canada forum suggested disabling "google backup transport"

This is really strange behavior, have you tried safe mode? Something triggering it

 

[B. Diddy]

When I asked Samsung they respoded. " I am sorry that the find my device option is turning on without my permission. Please remove the Samsung account and then restart the phone.

I did try the removal but it did not work. Another person in the Canada forum suggested disabling "google backup transport"

If you're truly talking about Find My Device (which is Google's), I'm not sure Samsung is the best support team to contact, since the Samsung app is Find My Mobile. Your Samsung account wouldn't have anything to do with Find My Device. This is why Galactic Zoo was asking you to clarify.

You also still haven't described exactly where you went to turn off Find My Device. Was it in the Settings>Security menu, or the Settings>Security>Device Administrators menu? Unchecking it in the Device Administrators menu only turns off the ability to remotely wipe or lock the phone -- it will still be turned on in the Settings>Security menu, so make sure it's turned off there as well.

 

[mellandroid]

Find my mobile is a Samsung utility. You must log into Samsungs site for it to operate. this is why Samsung apologized. Clearly there is a security issue since creating another account did not work.

 

[Wbutchart1]

Mell, folks are just trying to help. There is ambiguity about whether you are talking about the Google find or the Samsung one as the device carries both.

Honestly, if privacy is such a concern I would strongly encourage you to get an iPhone! Even with all find my device options disabled your location is still followed by Google services from what I understand. I personally don't understand how this is any form of security risk or why it is concerning you to this degree, but, we are all different I guess and for some Android is not the best solution.

 

[B. Diddy]

Find my device is a Samsung utility

No, you're referring to Find My Mobile​, which is Samsung's. Find My Device is a Google app/service:

https://findmymobile.samsung.com/
https://support.google.com/android/answer/3265955?hl=en

I will refer you to my previous posts where I was making the distinction. Clearly, the two can be easily mixed up, so that's why I was trying to clarify.

 

[mellandroid]

Sorry the title is incorrect. It is Samsungs "Find my Mobile" The built in App that requires logging into Samsung account to manage your phone.

 

[B. Diddy]

Ok, I edited the thread title to reflect that.

 

[mellandroid]

The solution from Samsung is not to log into my Samsung account from my Samsung phone (from the google accounts). This disables Find my mobile with no ability to activate.

This suggest a security problem with the phone. Either an application or a system security problem via communications such as wifi or cell services is able to change the state of find my mobile. The other option is that from my Samsung account a hacker is able to establish a connection to my phone. The last option does not seem likely because I use 2 factor authentication and I am notified via Email when someone logs into my Samsung account

 

[mustang7757]

The solution from Samsung is not to log into my Samsung account from my Samsung phone (from the google accounts). This disables Find my mobile with no ability to activate.

This suggest a security problem with the phone. Either an application or a system security problem via communications such as wifi or cell services is able to change the state of find my mobile. The other option is that from my Samsung account a hacker is able to establish a connection to my phone. The last option does not seem likely because I use 2 factor authentication and I am notified via Email when someone logs into my Samsung account

Do you get a pop up notification that says find my mobile is off?

 

[mellandroid]

I tested it again and "Find my mobile" turned itself on again without a Samsung account. I will let Samsung know this is a security issue and I want the app removed.