Someone hacked Personal data my all personal photos

[ManjitSingh]

SM-G960W

[Georgine]

Hi, If you think your phone has been hacked, the very first thing you should do is perform a factory data reset( it erases your data so make sure to backup your data). This will clear all of your personal data off of your phone and kick out the hacker.

Once the phone has been reset, you should change the password for your Samsung and Google account, along with any other account you had on the phone, like bank accounts, etc. If any of your accounts have security questions, changing them may be a good idea. On top of this, you should turn on two-step verification for any accounts that have this option, including your Samsung account.

After you have done the initial setup on your phone, keep these steps in mind, so your phone does not get hacked again:

• Create a lock screen for your phone, so no one will be able to unlock it even if they get their hands on it. You can also add biometric security features like fingerprint scans or facial recognition for an extra layer of protection.
  
  
• Keep your phone updated with the latest software and operating system. Security patches are frequently installed during updates.
  
  
• Only download apps from the Galaxy Store or Play Store. Apps from other sources could be filled with viruses or other ways for a hacker to access your phone.
  
  
• After you install a new app, you will be prompted to allow or deny certain permissions. Tap Allow or Deny depending on the app. If an app seems fishy or suspicious, do not grant it access to any permissions.
  
  
• In fact, if an app seems suspicious or causes ads to appear on your phone, you should uninstall it right away.
  
  
• Even if you are on a trustworthy website, there can be an onslaught of unsafe ads. Turn on Adblockers on Samsung Internet to prevent these ads from appearing.
  
  
• If you accidentally went to a shady site before downloading an Adblocker, the site may have downloaded harmful cookies or other data onto your phone. Make sure to clear your browsing history every once in a while.
  
  
• Use common sense when opening emails. If an email seems like a scam, it probably is. Never click any suspicious links because they could give a hacker direct access to your phone.

[AmyS]

I had 3 phones stolen.. the one I was using at the time and two older ones that my kids would play games or watch shows on but still had my texts and personal stuff cause I hadn't received my laptop yet. I can't get into my Gmail account which was linked to EVERYTHING. I tried getting certain things back but it was always sending a verification link to my old email. I would def like to know what and how I am supposed to do. They also got into my bank account and drained it..almost 4 grand. They left me with $27!!! I won't use password vaults or savers or anything anymore. It's very scary cause we keep everything on our phone!!!

[Valeriya · Accepted solution]

Hi, If you have lost your phone, you can pinpoint its whereabouts using Find My Mobile. Navigate to the Find My Mobile website. Select Sign in, and then enter your Samsung account credentials. It needs to be the same Samsung account associated with the phone. Or, it must be an account that is assigned as guardian, Next, select Sign in. If the device is turned on and is connected to either Wi-Fi or mobile data, its last known location will appear on a map. If you have more than one device connected to the Samsung account, all of the devices will appear on the left side. Select the name of your desired device to see its location. If you think you left your device in a moving vehicle, such as a bus or train, or if you think it was possibly stolen, you can get frequent updates about its location. Find my mobile track location feature will send you updates every 15 minutes with the device's latest location. From the Find My Mobile menu, select Track location on the right side. Select Start and Find My Mobile will begin sending you location updates. If you no longer want to receive updates, simply stop.

[Members_X5dRUvg]

My Samsung Galaxy S10+ was stolen in Colombia on 12/20/2022. I used Find My Mobile to find the device, I saw its location on the map (the thief moved with the phone) but when the device "fixed in one place" I couldn't get my phone back. They didn't give me a phone number, citing my absence.
On the day of the theft, I blocked the IMEI code from the mobile operator and blocked the SIM card.
I have a suspicion that the IMEI code of the device was changed, since the Find My Mobile program indicates the presence of a phone in that place on 12/22/2022.
After a factory reset, can I find my device in Find My Mobile?
Why can I change the MEI code on Samsung devices and there is no factory reset protection?
If the MEI code is changed, then how this device continues to function with mobile operators, there is an assumption that the phones are taken out of Colombia to neighboring regions for further use.