Help Anti-Theft lock switching on & sending textx

[Locksley]

Hi all, newbie here, I'll try not to say anything dumb...

I've got a Bush Spira E2x running Android 5.1 (yeah, I know, it's a cheapie, but I'm poor).

Over the last few weeks, the anti-theft lock has switched itself on completely randomly (e.g. when it's sitting on a desk, on a bedside table overnight, etc.) and has been sending text messages to my two specified contacts (which it is supposed to do, but only when legitimately triggered) scaring the hell out of them as they are in such poor English and don't really explain what's happening - my poor folks keep thinking I've been kidnapped or something.

I can't find anything about whether this is a known issue, or whether there's anything I can do to fix it (aside from buy a decent phone). When I search for help, all I get is a load of manuals telling me how to turn it on, I can't find anything about it malfunctioning or taking on a life of its own. Does anyone have any ideas?

Cheers,
Lox

 

[Hadron]

This "anti theft lock" is not a standard Android feature. Is it something you installed, or something the manufacturer put on there? If it's something you installed then can you tell us the app's name?

Since it doesn't sound like anything I've met, all I can suggest is that you turn it off. If you want that sort of functionality there are other anti-theft apps available (just avoid anything by "Cheetah Mobile", since you don't want to install a "security" app from a company who make their money by data-mining their users).

 

[Locksley]

Hi!

Yeah, it's something the phone came with, nothing I put on there - it's under Settings>Security>Mobile Anti-Theft. But I guess you're right, I could just turn it off and use a better one. That's probably simplest I guess.

I could post some screen shots if that's useful, if it's something you've not seen and you're interested, for the furtherance of knowledge

Thanks for your reply,
Lox

P.S. Smoke me a kipper...

 

[Hadron]

...I'll be back for breakfast.

As I've never even seen a Bush phone in the plastic I doubt the screenshots will tell me much, but there's a chance someone will see them who will know something.

 

[mikedt]

Hi!

Yeah, it's something the phone came with, nothing I put on there - it's under Settings>Security>Mobile Anti-Theft. But I guess you're right, I could just turn it off and use a better one. That's probably simplest I guess.

I could post some screen shots if that's useful, if it's something you've not seen and you're interested, for the furtherance of knowledge

Thanks for your reply,
Lox

P.S. Smoke me a kipper...

From what you're describing, quite frankly it sounds like this feature of the phone is buggy, and not working as it should. Problem is Bush is a budget phone sold by Argos, from an unknown Chinese manufactuer, so there may not be any firmware updates to fix it. Suggest you disable it and don't use it. And maybe find a third-party anti-theft app from Google Play if you really need to do this.