[SOLVED] Samsung Internet opening to random spam sites

[Android Central Question]

Over the past few weeks I've had random blog style websites (getfitnessinfo, thisdaythatage, some page about the history of uber) opening themselves in the default Samsung Internet Browser. It mostly happens upon unlocking my phone (galaxy s6) but has also happened once while I was using it.

I have cleared all data on the browser app, uninstalled all mildly questionable apps (I hadn't downloaded any apps around the time this began), cleared the cache of my phone in safe mode, installed Firefox and set it as my default browser (Samsung Internet continues to open anyway with the sites), ran multiple antivirus apps (Norton, Avast, Kaspersky, Malwarebytes, Ccleaner) and none have turned up anything. I've even gone through my files and deleted any data/app/sdk files I don't recognize or that seem suspect.

While the websites being opened do not seem malicious in nature, this has become very annoying both with the spam itself and the fact knowing something is buggering my phone. I have searched and tried multiple solutions to similar problems to no avail.

 

[world_indo1]

Can definitively confirm that this issue was caused by Peel Smart Remote. Uninstalled it a few weeks ago and haven't had this issue since!

Just checked the Play Store and boy is Google not messing around! No sign of Peel anywhere...

 

[SammyBuckets]

Re: Samsung Internet opening to random spam sites

Can you confirm if the Peel Remote app came preinstalled in your S10+, please? That's very strange. Maybe you had that app on a previous device and it was automatically downloaded when setting the new one up?

It's been just over a month, and I can happily report back that the problem was indeed the Peel Smart Remote app and since removing it, it completely fixed the issue I was having. Peel Smart Remote I believe came preinstalled on one of my previous phones. Since 2013 I've had, Galaxy S4, S6 (hated this one, quickly sold it), S7 Edge and now the Galaxy S10+ 1TB. I believe it was preinstalled on the s6 or s7 edge and just followed my data transfers ever since. Hope i could help by letting people know this issue is 100% being caused by Peel Smart Remote.

Thanks everyone!

- Samir

 

[Javier P]

Excellent! Glad it helped and thanks for the follow up.

 

[anon(10612984)]

GalaxyNote4 Marshmallow 6.0.1 user here.

I can confirm too that Peel Dumb Remote actually is the culprit.

Also it had been opening youtube links to some stupid *** clickbait c*** called "Your gal, Andromeda" so yeah. might as well as report her too.

 

[mustang7757]

GalaxyNote4 Marshmallow 6.0.1 user here.

I can confirm that Peel Dumb Remote actually is the culprit.

Also it had been opening youtube links to some stupid *** clickbait c*** called "Your gal, Andromeda" so yeah. might as well as report her as well.

Glad to hear it worked for you.

 

[anon(10612984)]

Just checked the Play Store and boy is Google not messing around! No sign of Peel anywhere...

It's still on the Galaxy store tho

 

[Chuck Finley69]

It's still on the Galaxy store tho

The developers are given the opportunity to fix issues. Perhaps that’s case. If not report them.