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Question

Cell phones getting held ransom for $

Jan 19, 2015 4:58AM PST

Has anyone heard about a virus that is being attached to an app on the play store, that once you download it allows the originator to take control of your cell phone? My co-worker states this happened this past week to her Verizon Wireless phone and requested payment of $300.00 to release her phone. She ended up going to VZ Wireless and getting a new phone. She lost all her pictures, she didn't know to back it up.

Discussion is locked

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Answer
It's rare but very possible if folk stray from App Stores
Jan 19, 2015 5:02AM PST

Also, it's not a virus. Yeah, folk today want to include ransomware into what a virus is but I'll resist that since a virus does something else.

Thanks for sharing. Folk are only now learning that just because it's a phone doesn't mean you can ignore backup of what we can't lose.
Bob

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Answer
it is going to happen
Jan 20, 2015 5:25AM PST

the best bet to avoid it is not to click on any strange links, not to do any unsafe surfin, not to download apps from any place other than the google play store. I personally would stay away from any app store provided by the phone manufacturer and service provider.

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Answer
Here's a simple process:
Jan 23, 2015 2:05AM PST

Your co-worker shouldn't pay the ransom as there's no guarantee that she will get her phone back. If the phone is an Android, I'd recommend putting your phone in Safe Mode so it will disable third-party applications. Next, go to "Settings" and select "Security", then uncheck the "Unknown Sources" box.