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Google displays full screen apps before Android apps run (is it a virus)?

  • 01-07-2019 09:34PM
    #1
    greep
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 101 ✭✭


    Over the past few days, full screen Google ads pop up on the screen before I tried launching some apps:
    - Facebook
    - Adverts
    - Camera app (Samsung Native)

    They don't pop up each time I try launching the apps, but would say every 1 hour.
    The ads I saw appear to be genuine, i.e. not that you won an iphone etc...


    Each time, I have to wait 5 seconds & then have to click skip, to see the actual app.
    This gets very annoying & don't thing it's Google forcing it, but rather some malware?
    Though I scanned my system with AVG & Malware Byte & it came out clean...

    Any ideas...
    My last action would be to do a hard reset of my phone & reinstalled all apps again, but would like to avoid if possible.

    Anyone experienced the same problem?
    Tagged:


Comments

  • #2
    corkie
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 9,246 ✭✭✭corkie


    Some app you probably installed/updated recently probably included Adware.

    If your rooted, suggest running Adaway and use it's utility to scan for adware apps.

    If not root try one of these apps

    Ad Detector

    or

    Popup Ad Detector-Detect ad showing outside of app

    Haven't use the above apps, so don't know if there any good.

    "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." ~ George Santayana
    "But that's balanced out by the fact that it's a mandate not to do very much." ~ Prof. Eoin O'Malley



  • #3
    banie01
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 18,688 ✭✭✭✭banie01


    corkie wrote: »
    Some app you probably installed/updated recently probably included Adware.

    If your rooted, suggest running Adaway and use it's utility to scan for adware apps.

    If not root try one of these apps

    Ad Detector

    or

    Popup Ad Detector-Detect ad showing outside of app

    Haven't use the above apps, so don't know if there any good.

    @ Corkie stumbled across this thread while browsing.
    Thanks for the Adaway suggestion!

    Running rooted androids for years but for some reason never got around to using f-droid or Adaway.
    Night and day better than my previous adblock solution.

    I really should start paying attention to xda again.

    Thanks for all the effort you put in here, the app thread and your quickness to help don't get the appreciation they so often deserve.

    Thank you!


  • #4
    MeMen2_MoRi_
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,982 ✭✭✭MeMen2_MoRi_


    https://blokada.org/

    For the non rooted folk.


  • #5
    greep
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 101 ✭✭greep


    Thank you guys, I will test them shortly


  • #6
    corkie
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 9,246 ✭✭✭corkie


    MeMen2_MoRi_ wrote: »
    https://blokada.org/

    For the non rooted folk.


    Installing an adblocker won't resolve what was causing the full screen ads.
    That is why I suggested installing apps to find the miss behaving app.

    greep wrote: »
    Thank you guys, I will test them shortly

    "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." ~ George Santayana
    "But that's balanced out by the fact that it's a mandate not to do very much." ~ Prof. Eoin O'Malley



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  • #7
    greep
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 101 ✭✭greep


    Pop up Ad Detector helped me to identify "Translate Me" app as a culprit. So far so good, but will test for the next few days. I had this app installed for quite a while, but these full screen ads started appearing only recently.
    Thanks again for sharing the tips


  • #8
    corkie
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 9,246 ✭✭✭corkie


    greep wrote: »
    Pop up Ad Detector helped me to identify "Translate Me" app as a culprit. So far so good, but will test for the next few days. I had this app installed for quite a while, but these full screen ads started appearing only recently.
    Thanks again for sharing the tips

    Is that the same app linked above?

    If so that was updated on the 21 June 2019, and your problems probably began after that update?

    "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." ~ George Santayana
    "But that's balanced out by the fact that it's a mandate not to do very much." ~ Prof. Eoin O'Malley



  • #9
    greep
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 101 ✭✭greep


    corkie wrote: »
    Is that the same app linked above?

    If so that was updated on the 21 June 2019, and your problems probably began after that update?
    Yes, sounds about right


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