My dearest member of Samsung Community,
I was scammed 3500 MYR yesterday, Friday, 15th July 2022. It was a horrible and disturbing experienced.
It started with an automated called pretending as LHDN, Malaysia stating I had an unsettled tax with the agency.
Knowing I I was yet to submit last year tax (knowing being irresponsible for not paying my tax, it threw me off to being scared I will receive a hefty monetary or imprisonment by the gov due to my irresponsibility).
My judgements varied and it lead me to downloaded an app sent by the scammed on my S20 device.
The app was sent via WhatsApp Dual App (S20 capability).
Currently I have uninstalled the app and I have still have my worries in terms of what the scammed left.
The app cability can be seen from the pictures I attached.
I am currently looking and figuring in terms of, DEVICE LEVEL OF PROTECTION, how can I know if the app or the scammer is no longer able or have access to my device?
My dearest community of Samsung, I believe there is someone out there, with security knowledge that can see and know this at engineering viewpoint. I am very much appreciate the time for you to read till here.
If you would so be kind to leave a note on this undespespicable event happened to me. I wish all the good and graces in the world be insti upon you.
Till then.
Be safe and don't let the same unfortunate event happened to me occured to you.
Chaio.
JAU
The Logical Thinker who got scammed.
5 Solutions
Accepted Solutions
Precaution is to never download and install apps that wasn't from google playstore unless you have faith and trust towards the source you download from. Sorry for your loss but there isnt any way that even Samsung phones could prevented it since you've allowed it to bypass the only security when you click to install the app after downloading into you phone. From now on, you should never tick or enable any apps within the category of "install unknown apps" and make sure all were disabled to be sure no future repetition.
As for why is there such loop-hole, please understand there are genuine small app developers out there still trying to check their apps compatibility with their daily devices. There isn't any other more realistic way for a developer to check for app misbehaviour than to test what they had created or tried to fix than on their own phone. This bypass allows them diagnose/verify changes quickly. Those scam programmers were just taking advantage of the ill informed non-techsavvy android users to execute their application.
Sadly, it is made aware there is an undeletable virus named "xHelper" that remains and stays in the phone even after wipe/factory reset device. ( https://securelist.com/unkillable-xhelper-and-a-trojan-matryoshka/96487/)
I pray that your device was not infected by such virus after installing the malicious scam app. As for the band-aid solution for removal of such virus is to do as this following website shared: ( https://www.zdnet.com/article/theres-finally-a-way-to-remove-xhelper-the-unremovable-android-malware...)
For why I said its band-aid instead of permanent fix, is because there isn't one. As shared by this following website, ( https://technowikis.com/45948/viruses-that-are-not-removed-even-formatting-the-cell-phone), the only solution is to either buy a new device, replace existing motherboard with a new/used one that was not infected or pray that the firmware reflash/OS reinstall method at service centre is adequate to remove such virus. Hope you find this informative in some way.
As for why is there such loop-hole, please understand there are genuine small app developers out there still trying to check their apps compatibility with their daily devices. There isn't any other more realistic way for a developer to check for app misbehaviour than to test what they had created or tried to fix than on their own phone. This bypass allows them diagnose/verify changes quickly. Those scam programmers were just taking advantage of the ill informed non-techsavvy android users to execute their application.
Sadly, it is made aware there is an undeletable virus named "xHelper" that remains and stays in the phone even after wipe/factory reset device. ( https://securelist.com/unkillable-xhelper-and-a-trojan-matryoshka/96487/)
I pray that your device was not infected by such virus after installing the malicious scam app. As for the band-aid solution for removal of such virus is to do as this following website shared: ( https://www.zdnet.com/article/theres-finally-a-way-to-remove-xhelper-the-unremovable-android-malware...)
For why I said its band-aid instead of permanent fix, is because there isn't one. As shared by this following website, ( https://technowikis.com/45948/viruses-that-are-not-removed-even-formatting-the-cell-phone), the only solution is to either buy a new device, replace existing motherboard with a new/used one that was not infected or pray that the firmware reflash/OS reinstall method at service centre is adequate to remove such virus. Hope you find this informative in some way.
Precaution is to never download and install apps that wasn't from google playstore unless you have faith and trust towards the source you download from. Sorry for your loss but there isnt any way that even Samsung phones could prevented it since you've allowed it to bypass the only security when you click to install the app after downloading into you phone. From now on, you should never tick or enable any apps within the category of "install unknown apps" and make sure all were disabled to be sure no future repetition.
As for why is there such loop-hole, please understand there are genuine small app developers out there still trying to check their apps compatibility with their daily devices. There isn't any other more realistic way for a developer to check for app misbehaviour than to test what they had created or tried to fix than on their own phone. This bypass allows them diagnose/verify changes quickly. Those scam programmers were just taking advantage of the ill informed non-techsavvy android users to execute their application.
Sadly, it is made aware there is an undeletable virus named "xHelper" that remains and stays in the phone even after wipe/factory reset device. ( https://securelist.com/unkillable-xhelper-and-a-trojan-matryoshka/96487/)
I pray that your device was not infected by such virus after installing the malicious scam app. As for the band-aid solution for removal of such virus is to do as this following website shared: ( https://www.zdnet.com/article/theres-finally-a-way-to-remove-xhelper-the-unremovable-android-malware...)
For why I said its band-aid instead of permanent fix, is because there isn't one. As shared by this following website, ( https://technowikis.com/45948/viruses-that-are-not-removed-even-formatting-the-cell-phone), the only solution is to either buy a new device, replace existing motherboard with a new/used one that was not infected or pray that the firmware reflash/OS reinstall method at service centre is adequate to remove such virus. Hope you find this informative in some way.
As for why is there such loop-hole, please understand there are genuine small app developers out there still trying to check their apps compatibility with their daily devices. There isn't any other more realistic way for a developer to check for app misbehaviour than to test what they had created or tried to fix than on their own phone. This bypass allows them diagnose/verify changes quickly. Those scam programmers were just taking advantage of the ill informed non-techsavvy android users to execute their application.
Sadly, it is made aware there is an undeletable virus named "xHelper" that remains and stays in the phone even after wipe/factory reset device. ( https://securelist.com/unkillable-xhelper-and-a-trojan-matryoshka/96487/)
I pray that your device was not infected by such virus after installing the malicious scam app. As for the band-aid solution for removal of such virus is to do as this following website shared: ( https://www.zdnet.com/article/theres-finally-a-way-to-remove-xhelper-the-unremovable-android-malware...)
For why I said its band-aid instead of permanent fix, is because there isn't one. As shared by this following website, ( https://technowikis.com/45948/viruses-that-are-not-removed-even-formatting-the-cell-phone), the only solution is to either buy a new device, replace existing motherboard with a new/used one that was not infected or pray that the firmware reflash/OS reinstall method at service centre is adequate to remove such virus. Hope you find this informative in some way.
I will manually edit the *permissions* for the apps i downloaded. 
