topic Re: DHL scam app in Mobile Apps & Services

DHL scam app

Ceecee76 — Sun, 25 Apr 2021 01:29:01 GMT

Yes, I'm that stupid.

Currently waiting on a package and so fell for it and now I cant get the app off my phone.

It has change default sms to dhl and won't go back to messages. Have tried:

Uninstall as usual

Removed from play store.

Removed permissions

No matter what I do it just keeps defaulting back and is still on my phone.

Samsung customer services said I have to to a factory reset as there is nothing else to be tried but that they don't recommend reinstalling WhatsApp, messages, pics, videos, files and docs etc

Needless to say, I'm not keen to do this.

Anyone any ideas?

I'm desperate

Re: DHL scam app

Aklima — Sun, 25 Apr 2021 03:02:37 GMT

Hi,
Please go to settings and click on app and then go to dhl and click on storage and go to the option clear data. Hope this works

Re: Re: DHL scam app

Ceecee76 — Sun, 25 Apr 2021 03:12:40 GMT

It crashes every time I try to open the app in settings

Re: DHL scam app

iamcool133 — Sun, 25 Apr 2021 03:38:30 GMT

At that point just do a back up and reset your phone it will save you alot more hassle then you think

Re: Re: Re: DHL scam app

Aklima — Sun, 25 Apr 2021 04:50:00 GMT

U will have to do factory reset and backup everything that's ur only option.

Re: Re: DHL scam app

Ceecee76 — Sun, 25 Apr 2021 07:49:00 GMT

I've been told not to reinstall things like WhatsApp files music photos videos Samsung notes...like everything. I need stuff for work though. Also will I be able to get all that stuff back OK? Do I back up to am external hard drive?

Re: Re: Re: DHL scam app

antikythera — Sun, 25 Apr 2021 19:33:30 GMT

You can get them back but I strongly advise setting new passwords on all online accounts you accessed from the affected device. You should be able to do Google and WhatsApp from a PC, as for the Samsung Account presumably it's possible too.

Re: DHL scam app

Pugs1957 — Sun, 25 Apr 2021 21:36:38 GMT

Try Malwarebytes app on Play Store to see if it can be removed.

Re: Re: Re: DHL scam app

Aklima — Sun, 25 Apr 2021 23:50:45 GMT

U can back it up on one drive

Re: Re: Re: DHL scam app

Benoni — Mon, 26 Apr 2021 09:22:38 GMT

Run security check and it will flag DHL and give you the option to clear it !
I had it on my phone and I was getting calls from people who were asking me if I had a parcel for them !!!!

Re: DHL scam app

GeorgeB1 — Mon, 26 Apr 2021 21:55:00 GMT

yes I did the same. There seems to be no way it will let us uninstall and it has sent the text to all my contacts. I suppose i'll have to bite the bullet and reset to factory settings.

Re: DHL scam app

JAMES4578 — Tue, 25 May 2021 16:28:19 GMT

Think in these situations it will be necessary to factory reset the device. The advice is to only restore a back up that was created before you installed the scam app. For future reference ensure Google Play protect is enabled https://support.google.com/googleplay/answer/2812853?hl=en-GB

See more from the National Cyber Security centre https://www.ncsc.gov.uk/guidance/flubot-guidance-for-text-message-scam

Re: DHL scam app

Inglyaffected — Mon, 07 Jun 2021 09:25:36 GMT

Has anyone found a fix for this?

Re: DHL scam app

Thylacine — Wed, 01 Sep 2021 04:04:45 GMT

I had my elderly neighbour over with the same issue, message app had changed to the DHL one. Every time I tried tapping the 'back' button (samsung S5) for a split second it showed me that it was asking if it was ok to make the DHL message the default message app. After remembering where the 'cancel' was on the screen I kept on going in to the message app and then 'back' (the '<') and trying to be super fast to hit the spot where the 'cancel' is .... eventually I got it but it still didn't work.

Running a security check didn't pick anything up.

She had never done a back up and reading up on it, signing in to anything once the DHL app had installed was a security breach risk, creating an account to do a back up and resetting the phone to then lose all contacts and pics wasn't an option she wanted to face.

Solution which worked without needing to do a reset :

Went in to the settings - Apps - then the 3 dots and found the 'default apps' - messages (which showed the DHL as default app). When I tapped it it said that 'you can't change system processes' .. or something like that. Once again though there was a split second that I could see the options available.

I went back in to settings - apps - (not the 3 dots this time) found the DHL spam app, went to uninstall it and again was confronted with the "cannot change bla, bla, bla" message but again, the split second, and I do mean a very, very quick split second, where I could see the option to delete before it automatically went back to settings.

Repeat the process and remember where the option to delete the app was on the screen for that split second and to try and tap that spot before it disappeared. It eventually worked and I was able to delete the app. Message app returned to normal and on restarting the phone there was no sign of the DHL app.

All up it took about 25min fumbling around but got there in the end. Her phone was a Samsung S5 so not sure if it'll be the same for everyone but hopefully this 'split second' viewing of options before disappearing off screen works for others, got to be quick with your screen tapping.

Good luck.

Re: DHL scam app

Danielle286 — Sun, 05 Sep 2021 08:20:47 GMT

Hey Ceecee76,

I'm not sure if you found a solution but I figured it out. Basically you want to go to settings, go down to privacy, go into permissions. It should show that the DHL app has full permission of your phone. Disable it. Then you'll be able to uninstall it. Fingers crossed this helps if needed.

Re: DHL scam app

Sadlariken — Sat, 18 Sep 2021 05:49:58 GMT

Yeah this worked, thanks for helping haha

Re: DHL scam app

Hoho de — Tue, 07 Dec 2021 10:47:11 GMT

Hi there! Also installed the app, finally managed to uninstall it. Once i ive done that is it over?

Re: Re: DHL scam app

Aklima — Tue, 07 Dec 2021 20:00:27 GMT

Hi, It should be.

Re: DHL scam app

Mcjaggered — Sat, 08 Jan 2022 23:33:45 GMT

Go to settings then to privacy. There should be something near the top saying 1 app has full access or something like that. Click on it, and disable DHL. This will revoke it's permissions, so you can then uninstall the app. Also, after uninstalling the virus app go through your messages to make sure you didn't send any messages (the app may send messages itself).

Re: DHL scam app

C T ifma DG — Wed, 09 Feb 2022 06:36:52 GMT

Hi none of the suggestions in this thread worked for me,and i really didnt wanna do thr whole factory reset thing...

But I did discover something that did so wanna chsre in case anyone else is suckered like me (doh!)

Go to Apps > General Management > Reset >

Select: Reset accessibility settings

.. this will make it so that the app stops doing that annoying split second flash a d you can then uninstall from Apps menu 😀