Related
Sucks... my right hand man got stolen yesterday.. so customized and so many good photos and videos on it.. crap!! I'm in the Dominican Republic.. 2nd to last day of a 2 week vacation and someone takes it when I wasn't looking off a table at a restaurant! I almost transferred photos the previous night too! Anyway just had to let some people know that can truly feel my pain. Anyone know Asurion's deductible on this phone? I can't do anything with my Sprint account or Asurion till I get back in the states cuz I cant figure my pin or my "first car" security question and I think Sprint site it blocked from loggin in this country..
I was at work and had my phone charging next to demo phones bc we were slow. Next thing I know it was gone. I immediately went to the door and locked it and called my number hoping I would catch someone in the act and lay it on them...it started ringing next to a couple that was with my manager. Seeing the look in my eye he immediately said that he took it off the charger so no one took it. I think the red on my face gave it away that I was going to get it and get fired by my actions or it was going to get handed back to me. Luckily I have phone nerds watching my back when I get busy lol.
Sent from my SPH-D710 using xda premium
Sorry to hear your phone got stolen (especially with your awesome pictures). The deduction for a new phone will be $100 thru the TEP. You can do it online, as long as you order before 11pm, you should have your phone the next day, unless its on backorder.
tri0xinn said:
Sucks... my right hand man got stolen yesterday.. so customized and so many good photos and videos on it.. crap!! I'm in the Dominican Republic.. 2nd to last day of a 2 week vacation and someone takes it when I wasn't looking off a table at a restaurant! I almost transferred photos the previous night too! Anyway just had to let some people know that can truly feel my pain. Anyone know Asurion's deductible on this phone? I can't do anything with my Sprint account or Asurion till I get back in the states cuz I cant figure my pin or my "first car" security question and I think Sprint site it blocked from loggin in this country..
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Install Plan B from the android market, it's free (https://market.android.com/details?id=com.lookout.labs.planb)
If your phone is still on, it'll download itself to your phone and send you an email about its location. You can also text your phone a keyword (I think it's 'locate', the exact word is on the android marketplace) and it'll give you an updated location. It might not work, but it's worth a try.
^ There's a good idea. And in the future you should really have something like Androidlost on it so you can track and wipe it remotely.
I kinda want mine to be stolen. I have mine set that whenever it boots another number I have gets a text with its network location and gps location. I can also text it a word and it will respond with the location. I have not yet figured out how to wipe the device with a modded rom so if they remove the sd card they have access to all of my pics and info, but I'll know where they are and I have another action text word to take a pic and send to me so I'll see who they are too.
OP that blows I'm sorry. When I got this phone I had a nightmare that a idiot took my phone and accudentally bricked it. I was pissed! Lol
eagercrow said:
I kinda want mine to be stolen. I nave mine set that whenever it boots another number I have gets a text with its network location and gps location. I can also text it a word and it will respond with the location. I have not yet figured out how to wipe the device with a modded rom so if they remove the sd card they have access to all of my pics and info, but I'll know where they are and I have another action text word to take a pic and send to me so I'll see who they are too.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Really? You kinda want your phone to be stolen?
nabbed said:
Really? You kinda want your phone to be stolen?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
yes and no, does that make any sense? lol. My phone is a part of me so that would suck, but because it is a part of me I have set up ways to track it if lost. Sure I could give my phone to a friend to test, but my friends are like me and I might get one location before they wiped it. I would like to know how effective my precautions and protections are against a real world situation.
What apps can take pictures of the thief ?
Sent from my GS2ET4g
Well I installed plan b.. wish there was an app I could install remotely that would wipe the phone automatically.. or self destruct it..hehe... thanks for the replies and ideas. I tried to claim through asurion but my pin is wrong as well as my 'first car" question.. would be nice because I get home Friday.. would be nice if there was new one waiting. Does anyone know what the default "pin" could be .. like date of birth .. or something else? I tried date of birth but didn't work unless it's a different format.
i think the default pin is 123456. i could be wrong though...
i just know that when i got my evo, i never picked a pin and that's what i had when i finally remembered to change it.
Not the same, but wanted to comment on getting stuff stolen.
You can never be too cautious. About 10 years ago, I went to Mexico with my school (senior year Spanish class trip), and we were getting ready to leave from a hotel. We were sitting on a bench, 3 guys, and I went to help people get the bags in the bus. Told the guys to watch the bag, but a few seconds later I saw them next to me. So I ran to the bench, and it was gone. Had a brand new digital camera (3mpx back then), my CD player with all my CDs, etc. It just messed the entire trip. It was bad.
I'd like to say that when you're out of your comfort area you can never be too cautious...but...you can NEVER be too cautious no matter where you are. I didn't get anything, but I surely tried looking everywhere to see if I could find somebody with my bag, or the camera, etc.
The thing with the phone, is that nowadays, the phone is your digital camera, your CD player, your facebook portal, has your email, documents... This summer, my wife left her phone at McDonalds. We were on a 1000-mile trip, so this was just one stop in the middle of nowhere. Right away I asked her to check for her phone. She thought I had it, I thought she got it...Had to turn around in the highway (one of those "only emergency vehicles" turns) and went back to McD. Of course she was freaking out. Her facebook, the phone was unprotected, had access to all her mail, her contacts, etc, etc. I went there, looked for it, called it, nothing. Looked like if someone was hanging up when I called. I asked the manager at McD and I guess somebody cleaning found it and brought it to the back.
I was of the lucky ones.
Follow these guys' advice: protect your phone, because you don't know when sh$t will happen. It could be you, your girlfriend, wife, daughter, son, husband...somehow, somewhere, chances are a phone may go missing. So protect it while you can.
So, I recently bought a Samsung Galaxy S9 (T-Mobile) from some random stranger online, And when i got the S9 it did not come with anything else but the phone which immediately raised a flag for me.
When i tried to set it up it asked me to connect to the internet to set up, And once i connected to the internet and clicked next, I then found out it was google locked? It required me to log in with the previous owners email, When i contacted the owner he did not respond at all and i assume he stole it from someone else and sold it to me. I started to search around the internet and found a video of a person unlocking it in some way with Odin3 so i tried to do what he asked and nearly got a virus from it which left me unable to trust any other videos or sites, So I was wondering if anyone here would be able to help me some way to unlock and use this device, I tried going to a phone store near me to try unlocking it and they said it would cost me $120 usd, But i was sure i am able to do this at home by myself for free, But i'm not quite sure what to do without getting any malware. So if anyone could help me it would be greatly appreciated
You could try flashing stock firmware using Odin. Look up your model number on Sam-mobile.
What you are asking is the same as "I stole a phone that is FRP locked, help me gain access"
We have no way to know if you bought it or stole it
If you bought via eBay or similar, contact the site owners, if you used PP or a credit card, open a dispute and get the transaction reversed
If you did a bank transfer, you have details that can identify the seller, start legal proceedings, contact the bank
If you bought online, you will have some sort of digital footprint to find him
And at the end of the day, you took the risk buying unprotected like that
What *Detection* said, this "random stranger" didn't just show up on your computer, you had to find him on a website. If what you said is true, then there is some type of digital footprint. If it was on Ebay, then you have a way to possibly get your money back. Next time, demand a screenshot of the IMEI and do a quick search to find out if the IMEI is clear. If you bought a stolen phone, then your guilty of buying stolen goods.
I know a a method to unlock/bypass it easily but u can google it. like many of the other users are saying, you could have stolen it and trying to get a partner in crime. Just get a refund or ask the person for the info temporarily and then he/she just.change their pw quickly. It'll notify them when u have sucessfully unlocked the device. Good luck.
What's your conscience telling you? Do a trace, get a refund, and return the phone to its original owner.
Thread closed.
FRP (Factory Reset Protection) is done for something and we at XDA do not allow discussions to bypass such security systems. Even if it's for good reasons in the end we don't take that risk.
Please read the rules again HERE.
In particular, this one here below:
9. Don't get us into trouble.
Don't post copyrighted materials or do other things which will obviously lead to legal trouble. If you wouldn't do it on your own homepage, you probably shouldn't do it here either. This does not mean that we agree with everything that the software piracy lobby try to impose on us. It simply means that you cannot break any laws here, since we'll end up dealing with the legal hassle caused by you. Please use common sense: respect the forum, its users and those that write great code.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks
Wood Man
Senior Moderator
Hi all,
I am not sure if this is better in a different Thread, so admin please move if so..
BE CAREFULL !!!! If you plan to root you S9, do NEVER do the following:
Switch on your S9 for the very first time and once you are forced to set-up a new google account, REMEMBER the data you enter !!!!!!!
Even if you (like me) do not want a google account, do not enter anything stupid, a password that you dont remember...
BECAUSE, if you now do a factory-reset from the bootloder, the phone will be lost forever!!!!!
You will have to send your phone to a SAMSUNG Service-center for unlock...
Thanks to Google and Samsung, this "feature" is very close to be illegal...
That sounds like FRP lock. If you know what you're doing (and you didn't steal the phone) there are ways around it.
joe535 said:
Hi all,
I am not sure if this is better in a different Thread, so admin please move if so..
BE CAREFULL !!!! If you plan to root you S9, do NEVER do the following:
Switch on your S9 for the very first time and once you are forced to set-up a new google account, REMEMBER the data you enter !!!!!!!
Even if you (like me) do not want a google account, do not enter anything stupid, a password that you dont remember...
BECAUSE, if you now do a factory-reset from the bootloder, the phone will be lost forever!!!!!
You will have to send your phone to a SAMSUNG Service-center for unlock...
Thanks to Google and Samsung, this "feature" is very close to be illegal...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This has been the case for a long time, and the same with iPhones, don't forget your login, make sure you have a recovery for your email password and don't steal phones
Not sure why it should be illegal to protect people's personal info
joe535 said:
Thanks to Google and Samsung, this "feature" is very close to be illegal...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What's actually illegal is people "forgetting" their password for "their" (newly acquired) phone.
So yeah. Let's totally make it easier to bypass you forgetting your password. While we're at it, let's just get rid of all security measures because they can be inconvenient at times.
FRP is a Documented Feature
The online Samsung S9 documentation does document the Factory Data Reset process. While this is surprising if it happens to you the feature is designed to help make stolen phone less valuable. At least in theory.
Note: When you sign in to a Google Account on your device, Factory Reset Protection is activated. This protects your device in the event it is lost or stolen. If you reset your device to factory default settings with the Factory Reset Protection (FRP) feature activated, you must enter the user name and password for a registered Google Account to regain access to the
device. You will not be able to access the device without the correct credentials.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
joe535 said:
Hi all,
I am not sure if this is better in a different Thread, so admin please move if so..
BE CAREFULL !!!! If you plan to root you S9, do NEVER do the following:
Switch on your S9 for the very first time and once you are forced to set-up a new google account, REMEMBER the data you enter !!!!!!!
Even if you (like me) do not want a google account, do not enter anything stupid, a password that you dont remember...
BECAUSE, if you now do a factory-reset from the bootloder, the phone will be lost forever!!!!!
You will have to send your phone to a SAMSUNG Service-center for unlock...
Thanks to Google and Samsung, this "feature" is very close to be illegal...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, that's why they call them smart phones, you need to be smart to use them.
Well, I do have the invoice from MY NOT STOLEN Phone.......
And an "anti-theft-feature" basically does not protect the phone from being stolen. It is simply not usable, but nevertheless the victim has a certain damage...
So, how can this kind of feature by advanced? VERY easy: In case of theft, the owner of a phone may log into his accoount from any other Computer and he ACTIVELY (!!!) has to quote his phone was stolen. NOW it can be locked.
I will send my phone to Samsung this week. I will expect thay RESET it for free...
Or maybe contact google... I remember the password but not the account... So maybe they can tell me the account-name if I gave the IMEA number...
oildale said:
What's actually illegal is people "forgetting" their password for "their" (newly acquired) phone.
So yeah. Let's totally make it easier to bypass you forgetting your password. While we're at it, let's just get rid of all security measures because they can be inconvenient at times.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Especially since I do have the invoice, a proof that I BOUGHT the phone !!!!
oildale said:
What's actually illegal is people "forgetting" their password for "their" (newly acquired) phone.
So yeah. Let's totally make it easier to bypass you forgetting your password. While we're at it, let's just get rid of all security measures because they can be inconvenient at times.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
tomiga said:
That sounds like FRP lock. If you know what you're doing (and you didn't steal the phone) there are ways around it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I already tried a lot of workarounds, so far with no success. Off course it is not stolen, I will make an image of the invoice later today if everybody mistrust me...
I will try that google give me the account-name I have created, because I do remember the password. I assume, that the account is tied to the IMEI of the phone...
If this does not help me out, I will se how far I will get using ADB. Luckily I activated USB debugging before I did the big mistake.
As last Option I will have to send the phone to a Samsung Service center...
Lets see...
joe535 said:
Well, I do have the invoice from MY NOT STOLEN Phone.......
And an "anti-theft-feature" basically does not protect the phone from being stolen. It is simply not usable, but nevertheless the victim has a certain damage...
So, how can this kind of feature by advanced? VERY easy: In case of theft, the owner of a phone may log into his accoount from any other Computer and he ACTIVELY (!!!) has to quote his phone was stolen. NOW it can be locked.
I will send my phone to Samsung this week. I will expect thay RESET it for free...
Or maybe contact google... I remember the password but not the account... So maybe they can tell me the account-name if I gave the IMEA number...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So OK let's reverse this scenario, you buy an S9, you secure it with your Google account, someone steals your phone, they use whatever method you are wishing for to unlock the device, and now they have access to all of your info, data, media, and also a brand new S9 for themselves
You are happy about this, right?
Or even if we say they reset the device, so your info is safe, they now have a brand new S9 for themselves. you are also happy about this too right?
Or how about the scenario when people already know it is useless resetting the phone because there is no way to unlock it without the original Google account login (Same as iPhone), now they don't bother stealing your phone because it would be useless to them, so now you get to keep your expensive S9 because they didn't want to steal it
Which scenario makes you happiest?
If you forget absolutely everything about the account you used for your phone, for some reason you do not have any record of it from other reset email accounts you should have added, then you have no-one to shout at other than yourself, you messed up, not Samsung or Google, YOU
*Detection* said:
So OK let's reverse this scenario, you buy an S9, you secure it with your Google account, someone steals your phone, they use whatever method you are wishing for to unlock the device, and now they have access to all of your info, data, media, and also a brand new S9 for themselves
You are happy about this, right?
Or even if we say they reset the device, so your info is safe, they now have a brand new S9 for themselves. you are also happy about this too right?
Or how about the scenario when people already know it is useless resetting the phone because there is no way to unlock it without the original Google account login (Same as iPhone), now they don't bother stealing your phone because it would be useless to them, so now you get to keep your expensive S9 because they didn't want to steal it
Which scenario makes you happiest?
If you forget absolutely everything about the account you used for your phone, for some reason you do not have any record of it from other reset email accounts you should have added, then you have no-one to shout at other than yourself, you messed up, not Samsung or Google, YOU
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I do not fully agree!
If my phone is stolen, I will ACTIVATE the anti-theft-protection after it has been stolen.
Normally someone would recognize very fast that it has been stolen. It does not matter whether the stolen phone is deactivated right now or some hours later. It will be unusable from this moment, the owner deactivates...
No one is happy about a stolen phone, but stolen is stolen, regardless if the thief can use it or not. The damage I have anyway...
Imagine you buy a Windows-PC. But you prefer Linux, format the HDD and try to install linux. But some geniusses decided that your PC will no longer be usable... Really a good idea??
It should go without saying that having an invoice showing the purchase of a phone, if purchased from other than the manufacturer or cellular provider, does not eliminate the possibility that the phone was reported stolen by a previous purchaser/owner. I would much rather have my phone automatically rendered inoperable by anyone not having my password and/or Google account information than give them the opportunity to acccess it during the lag time spanning the period that: 1) I realized my phone is lost; 2) I successfully reported the loss to the carrier or manufacturer having the ability to hard lock the device; and 3) the carrier/manufacturer actually locks the device.
elbee222 said:
It should go without saying that having an invoice showing the purchase of a phone, if purchased from other than the manufacturer or cellular provider, does not eliminate the possibility that the phone was reported stolen by a previous purchaser/owner. I would much rather have my phone automatically rendered inoperable by anyone not having my password and/or Google account information than give them the opportunity to acccess it during the lag time spanning the period that: 1) I realized my phone is lost; 2) I successfully reported the loss to the carrier or manufacturer having the ability to hard lock the device; and 3) the carrier/manufacturer actually locks the device.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well yes and no To me, the probability to "loose" my phone in a way I accitentially did is much higher than it might be stolen...
So do you mean, even I can proove the purchase, I do not have the right that Samsung unlocks it??? See, if it is stolen, I cannot use it. If I do 2 SOFTWARE based steps, I cannot use it. It is lost in both cases, so non of them is good...
If you can prove the purchase, and -- if you are not the original purchaser - no prior owner has reported the phone lost or stolen and there is no related bad IMEI issue -- then I would agree that you should have the right to have the phone unlocked/reactivated by Samsung or the carrier. I suspect Samsung or the carrier will check to make sure that a lost/stolen phone report is not received in the interim.
joe535 said:
I do not fully agree!
If my phone is stolen, I will ACTIVATE the anti-theft-protection after it has been stolen.
Normally someone would recognize very fast that it has been stolen. It does not matter whether the stolen phone is deactivated right now or some hours later. It will be unusable from this moment, the owner deactivates...
No one is happy about a stolen phone, but stolen is stolen, regardless if the thief can use it or not. The damage I have anyway...
Imagine you buy a Windows-PC. But you prefer Linux, format the HDD and try to install linux. But some geniusses decided that your PC will no longer be usable... Really a good idea??
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Your argument is weak, it is a LOT more difficult to lose a PC than a phone, it is a LOT more difficult to steal a PC than a phone
Thousands (maybe millions) of phones are lost and stolen every day around the world, PCs not so much...
Why would you buy a Windows PC if you wanted Linux? Wouldn't you just build a PC and install Linux from day 1?
At the end of the day, for whatever reasons you are p*ssed because you are locked out of your phone, the reason you are locked out is your own fault, you are looking to blame someone when all you need to do is look in the mirror
Maybe Samsung will unlock it if you can prove proof of ownership, maybe... but by the sounds of it, you didn't buy it new, which leads us right back to the possibility of it being stolen, which is likely the same conclusion Samsung will come to
*Detection* said:
Your argument is weak, it is a LOT more difficult to lose a PC than a phone, it is a LOT more difficult to steal a PC than a phone
Thousands (maybe millions) of phones are lost and stolen every day around the world, PCs not so much...
Why would you buy a Windows PC if you wanted Linux? Wouldn't you just build a PC and install Linux from day 1?
At the end of the day, for whatever reasons you are p*ssed because you are locked out of your phone, the reason you are locked out is your own fault, you are looking to blame someone when all you need to do is look in the mirror
Maybe Samsung will unlock it if you can prove proof of ownership, maybe... but by the sounds of it, you didn't buy it new, which leads us right back to the possibility of it being stolen, which is likely the same conclusion Samsung will come to
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just talked to Samsung support. Will cost me about 35€ to get the security chip changed.
Ok, could have been worse...
joe535 said:
Just talked to Samsung support. Will cost me about 35€ to get the security chip changed.
Ok, could have been worse...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Let us know what happens
joe535 said:
Especially since I do have the invoice, a proof that I BOUGHT the phone !!!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not saying that you stole the phone but because you don't take making your account seriously the rest of us have to have security that is easily bypassed for our phones? I don't think so.
You screwed up and now you're paying the price. Hopefully you can get things sorted out and get access to your phone. In the very least though, you'll never do something so stupid again right?
*Detection* said:
So OK let's reverse this scenario, you buy an S9, you secure it with your Google account, someone steals your phone, they use whatever method you are wishing for to unlock the device, and now they have access to all of your info, data, media, and also a brand new S9 for themselves
You are happy about this, right?
Or even if we say they reset the device, so your info is safe, they now have a brand new S9 for themselves. you are also happy about this too right?
Or how about the scenario when people already know it is useless resetting the phone because there is no way to unlock it without the original Google account login (Same as iPhone), now they don't bother stealing your phone because it would be useless to them, so now you get to keep your expensive S9 because they didn't want to steal it
Which scenario makes you happiest?
If you forget absolutely everything about the account you used for your phone, for some reason you do not have any record of it from other reset email accounts you should have added, then you have no-one to shout at other than yourself, you messed up, not Samsung or Google, YOU
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's it.
oildale said:
I'm not saying that you stole the phone but because you don't take making your account seriously the rest of us have to have security that is easily bypassed for our phones? I don't think so.
You screwed up and now you're paying the price. Hopefully you can get things sorted out and get access to your phone. In the very least though, you'll never do something so stupid again right?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Exactly. At least, we know by now, that there is a physical security-chip inside the phones
I am just wondering, why this forum does exist.. I assume a lot of us like custom ROMs , rooting etc. because we like to get rid of google and other bloatware. At least this it what I personally like to... But if a google "feature" locks someone from his own phone, he suddenly is a criminal ?!?!?!
OK. @admin - better close this thread as it does not really helps us.
Hello guys.
A friend/colleague of my wife had his son die in a motorcycle accident a couple of months ago. His phone was not damaged but has a pin lock on it. The family wants to retrieve any photos or videos in the phone with their son. Searched around a bit but cannot find any way of unlocking without data erase. They just want any reminders of him and don't really care about the phone itself. It is a Note 10+ N975W. If you can help in any way it would be appreciated.
Thank you.
dondedios said:
Hello guys.
A friend/colleague of my wife had his son die in a motorcycle accident a couple of months ago. His phone was not damaged but has a pin lock on it. The family wants to retrieve any photos or videos in the phone with their son. Searched around a bit but cannot find any way of unlocking without data erase. They just want any reminders of him and don't really care about the phone itself. It is a Note 10+ N975W. If you can help in any way it would be appreciated.
Thank you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If anyone on the family has access to the accounts linked to the phone, they could easily unlock it that way.
They can also try and explain the situation on to a Samsung service center, I think they might just be able to do so with the proper proof of purchase for the device.
Doing this by themselves will most likely result in a total loss of the data which they're supposed to be avoiding.
I don't think anyone on the forum would help, mainly because of the lack of credibility on the story itself.
Good luck
joyousfrank said:
If anyone on the family has access to the accounts linked to the phone, they could easily unlock it that way.
They can also try and explain the situation on to a Samsung service center, I think they might just be able to do so with the proper proof of purchase for the device.
Doing this by themselves will most likely result in a total loss of the data which they're supposed to be avoiding.
I don't think anyone on the forum would help, mainly because of the lack of credibility on the story itself.
Good luck
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Unfortunately they don't have access to any of the accounts . I will ask them if they can find any paperwork. I know my story is strange and I really don't know how to convince people about this. As some sort of proof if I just have a stolen phone or something I wouldn't care about any data and just hard reset it and bypass the google account. Anyway thanks for the idea with Samsung service center.
the problem is giving ways to access devices can open the phone to a load of fraud due to stuff like cards saved on the device either through services like the pay apps or other login information saved in the device.
so really it doesn't come down to plausibility of the story it comes from a security stand point and for sites like this they will not allow things like this to be discussed as it could be used illegally.
best option if you can prove you're a relative and the death of the user is to contact either Samsung or Google and see if they will let you recover the accounts and just hope the original user backed up their photos and such to cloud accounts or if you got access to the Samsung account likely remotely unlock the device.
I've not rooted my phone so I don't know if it wipes it or not.
But if not you can always root the phone and then use adb commands to remove the lock.
Got an ex review Galaxy fold 4 which had not been wiped before I was given it. I factory resetted it, but it needs the gmail and gmail password from the previous owner... is there any way to byoass this or will it simply be easier to chase up the previous owner?
patdude1234 said:
Got an ex review Galaxy fold 4 which had not been wiped before I was given it. I factory resetted it, but it needs the gmail and gmail password from the previous owner... is there any way to byoass this or will it simply be easier to chase up the previous owner?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
first who knows how you have got the device? You really new owner or what someone trying to hack into hte device. Kindly reach out the old owner. or do your own research.
Let's be reasonable. Telling us you need the account info from the previous owner is a HUGE red flag. That means is was never factory reset when it was...sold/given/stolen to/by...you. So do understand we are not a community that will assist anyone with a stolen device.
That said, methuselah is correct. You should research the issue instead of asking for help via a vague post. You COULD take it to your carrier's store and have them assist you. Honestly, that's the best route. Take the proof of purchase with you to show it's not stolen.
Good luck.
Of course. That is totally reasonable, For background, I am a reviewer and Samsung's local PR firm forgot to reset the phone before couriering it to me (which is incredibly frustrating). I have reached out to their PR team, but it is taking forever to get this resolved Meanwhile I have a shiny galaxy fold 4 sitting there that is unusable
there are ways but FBI would raid me if I tell u...
nice try tho
I'm sending it back to Samsung to be swapped out for a fresh review sample...
patdude1234 said:
Of course. That is totally reasonable, For background, I am a reviewer and Samsung's local PR firm forgot to reset the phone before couriering it to me (which is incredibly frustrating). I have reached out to their PR team, but it is taking forever to get this resolved Meanwhile I have a shiny galaxy fold 4 sitting there that is unusable
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That's FRP (factory reset protection). Background: Let's pretend that your mobile device got stolen. The first thing a thief will do is to reset the phone, because without knowing the correct display pattern the device is pretty useless (and it's very hard to sold in that state ). Since the settings menu is also unreachable with a locked display the thief is forced to reset the phone via recovery mode. This mode must be always accessible by pressing the right key combo in case you are in serious trouble with an unbootable device. Doing it that way, the following setup of the device requires a login to the last active Google account to verify the owner.
This verification step is also required if you do a factory reset in your settings menu. But here the verification is done before you delete everything by entering your display pattern. This will disable FRP for the following reset because you have then verified that this device is yours.
As a reviewer of the phone, you must have contact to a person of Samsung's local PR firm. Talk to her/him and get a new one.
Yes as mentioned above that is exactly what I am doing...
Thanks for the follow up, that all sounds fine. It just helps to give more information.
Yes, if you contacted Sammy and they are replacing it, then you found the best route. Good luck on the review.
Sharing frustration of all ends. Got a refurbished Sammy phone on Amazon, it arrived with someone's pwd on it. I bought it as a backup phone for the office so we discovered it outside the 90 days warranty and could not have sent back. I have the receipt, it is AMAZON selling it, and I have a brick on my desk. Nice, isn't it?
EranNavick said:
Sharing frustration of all ends. Got a refurbished Sammy phone on Amazon, it arrived with someone's pwd on it. I bought it as a backup phone for the office so we discovered it outside the 90 days warranty and could not have sent back. I have the receipt, it is AMAZON selling it, and I have a brick on my desk. Nice, isn't it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If the phone arrived like that from Amazon, return to Amazon ASAP