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Obamaphone service - through VIrgin Mobile - Annoying Ads

V

Vladimir Tolskiy

Lurker
Hello.

I recently received a UMX U673C phone with Assurance Wireless, a service for poor people that is carried out by Virgin Mobile.

Sometimes such service is referred to as "obamaphone".

Everything was nice, however my phone constantly offers me to install new apps. I suspect that the program that is responsible for this is Google Play. A message that pops up has an "X", however when I hit this "X", the app still installs and I have to uninstall it.

Over time, those installations lead to another problem: annoying spam ads that pop up on my phone screen every time I turn the screen on.

IMGP3681.JPG IMGP3683.JPG IMGP3682.JPG

Here you can see who sponsors those adds.

How do I get rid of those two problems and restore the usability of my phone?
I tried to change the ad settings in Google play, that did not work.

I am looking for ways to block ads.
I am also looking for ways to override Google Play, prevent app from installing unless I key in a secret combination or do something else to give an app I want to install a special permission to do so.

Thank you.
 
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Vladimir Tolskiy said:
Hello.

I recently received a UMX U673C phone with Assurance Wireless, a service for poor people that is carried out by Virgin Mobile.

Sometimes such service is referred to as "obamaphone".

Everything was nice, however my phone constantly offers me to install new apps. I suspect that the program that is responsible for this is Google Play. A message that pops up has an "X", however when I hit this "X", the app still installs and I have to uninstall it.

Over time, those installations lead to another problem: annoying spam ads that pop up on my phone screen every time I turn the screen on.

View attachment 128598 View attachment 128601 View attachment 128600

Here you can see who sponsors those adds.

How do I get rid of those two problems and restore the usability of my phone?
I tried to change the ad settings in Google play, that did not work.

I am looking for ways to block ads.
I am also looking for ways to override Google Play, prevent app from installing unless I key in a secret combination or do something else to give an app I want to install a special permission to do so.

Thank you.
Click to expand...

Yep this is due to the generic gallery app..some gallery apps contain ads.....just go to settings, then apps, then find the gallery app, and disable it. ***That app comes with ads***....Then go to the play store and download a gallery app that does not contain adds....the play store will tell you if the new gallery app will have ads or not and just choose one that does not have ads...problem solved.....i dont know why they give us phones that come with these type of apps already installed--set up for failure--
 
I disabled "Gallery". Waiting to see what happens.

OnMyWord said:
Yep this is due to the generic gallery app..some gallery apps contain ads.....just go to settings, then apps, then find the gallery app, and disable it. ***That app comes with ads***....Then go to the play store and download a gallery app that does not contain adds....the play store will tell you if the new gallery app will have ads or not and just choose one that does not have ads...problem solved.....i dont know why they give us phones that come with these type of apps already installed--set up for failure--
Click to expand...

Almost a month had passed and now I can conclude that
GALLERY WAS THE CULPRIT
I disabled it and the recurring problem is no longer there.

Several times I got some other pop-up message, yet that appears as it had originated from a different source - the chrome browser.

Thank you, OnMyWord !
 
I also have a UMX U673C. Ads and that green install popping up seconds after first starting the phone straight out of the box. Factory reset twice and both popped up before I could even open google play.
Stubborn Trojan Killer found a package called com.fota.wirelessupdate through System.Fota.Apk. But the app gave me no advice how to remove it.
Opened up app permissions. Ad_surface had a permission to draw over other apps. I have taken away that permission and disabled this "system" app.
A web search of ad_surface brought me here.
Thank you OnMyWord. I have disabled the Gallery today. I have not gotten an ad or a green install for the past hour. This is a record for my phone because they had been popping up every five ten minutes the data is left on before taking your advice. Thank you very much.
I will share my story on the other android forum about the UMX U673C problem. Maybe the makers of UMX will find this forum and correct the Gallery issue.
 
Same problem with assurance wireless unimax u673c. I disabled "Gallery" but it hasn't help. I just got the phone a few days age. I have not gone online or downloaded any apps. This is my first "smart phone" and it is proving more difficult to use than I expected. I may just send it back.

BTW: I guess Asian women are looking men everywhere. I have same ad but for the LA area (not that I live near LA)
 
It would be useful to run a national survey and find out how many of those obamaphones actually help their users find jobs, rent apartments, etc. And how many of those phones end up being thrown away or returned.
 
Fix UMX pop up ads: go to settings- apps- then click the gear icon on top right- then draw over apps- turn them all off- also click the 3 dots on upper right- select show system- and turn them all off.....next disable the gallery app and download a new gallery app from play store that has no ads. It is most likely only the gallery and only the ad_service draw over
 
foghome said:
Same problem with assurance wireless unimax u673c. I disabled "Gallery" but it hasn't help. I just got the phone a few days age. I have not gone online or downloaded any apps. This is my first "smart phone" and it is proving more difficult to use than I expected. I may just send it back.

BTW: I guess Asian women are looking men everywhere. I have same ad but for the LA area (not that I live near LA)
Click to expand...
Fix UMX pop up ads: go to settings- apps- then click the gear icon on top right- then draw over apps- turn them all off- also click the 3 dots on upper right- select show system- and turn them all off.....next disable the gallery app and download a new gallery app from play store that has no ads. It is most likely only the gallery and only the ad_service draw over
 
ok I have figured out this adware! on the virgin mobile "obama phones 2018"
ANS UL40
1 step factory reset
2 do not log into google account just yet.
3 once able to access screen turn off data. app bar on top with the two flashing arrows "turn off".
4 go into settings these apps you don't need. force stop, clear data, disable.
first app you want to disable that causes most pop ups is:
red app called "Sound Recorder" major adware!!
2nd one to disable is v8 featured apps
amazon shoping if not used... "certain google apps can be disabled if not needed or used to save data I also disable weather app to save data"
top right button for app settings: shows "show system"
I also disabled and disabled ad_surface app is not needed.
then find wifi
log into google account and download these
norton Clean app
Malwarebytes app
AVG anti virus app. really any free top rated "read reviews"

after doing all this pop-ups have decreased!!
last and final Pop-up aliexpress.com pop up! so annoying
I have discovered this is apart of google play. only way to get ride of it.
is to hit install when add pops up. once it is installed. delete the app.
after doing all this! you should have no more ad pop ups. also google web browser kind sucks...
so I disable that too and down loaded firefox incognito. but thats up to you.
I am add free and protected.
Oh one more thing call customer care on your phone contacts. and tell them to take you off the sales call list. you don't want your number solicited.
 
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Ads are built into launcher, that's why adware apps cannot find it. Simply installing a different launcher from plays store, making sure the Launcher is ad free, will fix the issue.
Hope this helps
 
I tried to go to Settings then App. Found a couple of "creature apps" that is not common with "green animal" symbols. Like aobxcy app. It has data since the ads pops for a week.

I did click Uninstall on each of them.

.
 
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