Question Unknown device shown in find my device

[Ihatechoosingusernames]

Hi. I've recently discovered "find my device" and found a second phone listed. My phone is a xaiomi and the mystery phone is a Samsung. I've never owned a Samsung. I can't find any way of removing, connecting to or blocking it. I've instinctively changed my passwords. The worrying thing is that it has been there for 6 months. Any advice?

 

[SpookDroid]

You should definitely change your password and can check your Google account to sign out any active and inactive devices. You can do that in https://myaccount.google.com/security and going into the "Your devices" section. This would also be a great time to enable 2FA or Passkeys.

 

[B. Diddy]

Interestingly, when I looked that IMEI up on two different sites (imei.info and Swappa), it comes up as invalid. I wonder if it was someone using a Chinese knockoff phone (which often have a bogus IMEI that was swiped from another legit phone), but that doesn't quite explain why it would also be on your Google account.

Apart from SpookDroid's excellent advice, I would also suggest looking at the "Third-party apps with account access" section of your Google account's Security section and removing access from any app that really doesn't need it.

 

[Ihatechoosingusernames]

You should definitely change your password and can check your Google account to sign out any active and inactive devices. You can do that in https://myaccount.google.com/security and going into the "Your devices" section. This would also be a great time to enable 2FA or Passkeys.

Thanks. Yes, I did this. The strange thing is that no Samsung was listed. I've enabled 2fa - I thought it was already enabled but obviously not.

 

[Ihatechoosingusernames]

Interestingly, when I looked that IMEI up on two different sites (imei.info and Swappa), it comes up as invalid. I wonder if it was someone using a Chinese knockoff phone (which often have a bogus IMEI that was swiped from another legit phone), but that doesn't quite explain why it would also be on your Google account.

Apart from SpookDroid's excellent advice, I would also suggest looking at the "Third-party apps with account access" section of your Google account's Security section and removing access from any app that really doesn't need it.

Thanks. I also tried the IMEI and got the same result. I tried the 3rd party apps but I have none listed except the Google find my device app itself.

So, how can I get the Samsung to disappear? Is there any risk they've done something with any info they've possibly accessed and how would I check? I'm not currently aware of any malicious activity, but I suppose I wouldn't be!

 

[B. Diddy]

After you've signed out of your Google account on a device, I think it may still take a few weeks or months before it goes away completely in the list, so keep an eye on it.

 

[Ihatechoosingusernames]

After you've signed out of your Google account on a device, I think it may still take a few weeks or months before it goes away completely in the list, so keep an eye on it.

Okay thanks for your help. I'll have to wait and see.

 

[Madd62]

There is a way to instantly remove it from your account now, if that's what you want to do for now and if I haven't missed parts of this thread.

I took my Google account off a 2018 Nokia phone that I still have, reset it and kept it in a drawer.
It's true in the past it would only eventually disappear from your account. .