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Help. Android Malware on Moto X using Phone Number?

M

millergd

Lurker
So this is a weird one, and I can't seem to find anyone else online with a similar problem.

So last week I was drunkenly getting food when some guy in line behind me asked for my phone number so he could check something with his phone. Obviously I should have just said no but I was drunk so I just figured what harm could it do? I gave it to him and then he just said nevermind and walked away.

The next day I woke up and my Moto X was dead. My phone wasn't that low the night before and I've never had trouble with the Moto X's great battery. I tried to charge it and it wasn't charging at all. I tried and tried and it wasn't getting over 1%. I managed to get it to the boot menu and did a recovery boot which started it charging. But the battery seemed to be still draining fast.

So I ran a bunch of malware and virus software which showed up nothing. I then did a factory reset and cleared everything. It's now a week later and my phone still seems to be draining way faster than before I gave this guy my number. Today after work it was down to 30% when I would normally be at 70% after a full work day.

Tl;DR My phone has been draining super fast after I gave someone my number. Virus scans and factory reset have not fixed the problem.

Has anyone heard of anything similar? Any thoughts on what I could do? If virus scanners can't find anything and a factory reset won't fix it do I have any options but to try and get a new phone?
 
Sounds like something right out of The Night Stalker for sure, I have never heard of anything like it either, but now a days who knows. Maybe your battery just "died" and it's coincidence that it happened after this. I doubt a super hacker able to come up with something like this would be stalking people at the check out line. A new battery would be a cheaper option than a new phone for sure. Good luck, Vin.
 
New battery isn't an option with the X.
I'd guess coincidence. Install a battery monitor and see what's using the power. I bet you'll find some crazy wakelock (possibly related to Google services - they've done that to a few people over the last few months).

Knowing your phone number doesn't give Internet access to the phone, so I'd think the super hack not so likely.
 
I've only had the phone for a couple months now. It seems unlikely the battery would just coincidentally die after that weird event. Also the Moto X battery can only be replaced by the manufacturer so I might as well just have them replace it. It is insured.
 
Yeah the logical side of me is saying its a complete coincidence mate.
The only way the guy could do anything to your phone is to text you a download link to an app, youd have to choose to download it, enable "unknown sources" in security settings, then knowingly choose to install it. Unless youre rooted, factory reset would definately remove it.
Have you tried different chargers?
 
millergd said:
I've only had the phone for a couple months now. It seems unlikely the battery would just coincidentally die after that weird event. Also the Moto X battery can only be replaced by the manufacturer so I might as well just have them replace it. It is insured.
Click to expand...

Maybe you just got a "dud" it's rare but it happens. If it's only a few months old and you have insurance I'd go that route, that's what you are paying those premiums for!
 
I looked into battery scanners, it seems that Kit Kat has disabled apps abilities to do this without rooting my phone, which I don't want to do. Know of any batter scanners that don't require rooting?
 
Yeah, I have multiple chargers I use. It is charging up to 100% now. It just drains super fast compared to a week ago.
 
funkylogik said:
Yeah the logical side of me is saying its a complete coincidence mate.
The only way the guy could do anything to your phone is to text you a download link to an app, youd have to choose to download it, enable "unknown sources" in security settings, then knowingly choose to install it. Unless youre rooted, factory reset would definately remove it.
Have you tried different chargers?
Click to expand...

That was what I was thinking when I gave out the number. What could he possibly do with it? All I know is it went dead that exact night. Could be coincidence or I might just be one of the first victims of a new way to hack phones.

Even weirder is he had a Russian accent.
 
Well thanks for the replies everyone. I realize how crazy I must sound. I'll probably end up seeing if I can find a way to see what's draining my battery, but I might end up just turning my phone in and telling them the battery is draining fast.

I'll probably leave out the part about the late night Russian hacker who used my phone number to give me a virus.
 
millergd said:
I looked into battery scanners, it seems that Kit Kat has disabled apps abilities to do this without rooting my phone, which I don't want to do. Know of any batter scanners that don't require rooting?
Click to expand...

Yeah i forgot about that. Even the stock battery monitor in Settings can tell you if you have wakelocks. Tap the graph and it takes you to another one like this uploadfromtaptalk1393461317322.jpg
You can see theres a line for screen on and a line for awake (cpu is working)
places where the screen is off but the cpu is awake are wakelocks :thumbup:
 
millergd said:
Yeah, I have multiple chargers I use. It is charging up to 100% now. It just drains super fast compared to a week ago.
Click to expand...
Try GSam Battery Monitor - it does about as much as you can without root.

If you want to experiment, I'd start by turning off location services - there have been other cases of random increased battery drain associated with that (Google messing up). But I'd try a monitor first.
 
I've done all the things mentioned above & tbh, these things will provide tiny savings. Replace the battery & everything was fine again. Mind you that was a three year old removable battery so in your situation I'd send it back for replacement or repair.
 
El Presidente said:
You sure you didn't get it slightly wet whilst drunk?

I've had similar battery issues when I've water damaged older handsets?
Click to expand...

The old "cell as a swizzle stick" who hasn't had battery issues after that!! No wonder they elected you as EL PRESIDENTE!!! Wish the rest of us had thought of that before Se
 
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