Avast Mobile Security - I am paying for SMS messages from them - Czech Republic

[giggles]

Hi.  Samsung Galaxy S3.  I recently installed an app called Avast Mobile.  Since then I have noticed that my top up money keeps going down, after consulting with the GiffGaff Team it turns out that the tel number that I am apparently ringing  belong to  420720001669  the Czech Republic!  It seems to me that it coincides with the installation of Avast Anti-Theft that has permission to send SMS messages, and as coincidence AVAST Software is a Czech company …  Is there any way I can stop the text messages? Especially as I am the one that is paying for them!! Or should I un-install avast and look for another app.  Thank you.

[TechHead]

I had the same thing happen to me. Just found out last night. What gives? You are taking money from me unsolicited? No permission?

At least AT&T was helpful with zeroing in on the cause of the charges. 420720001669. I would like answer as well. I was able to reverse the charges, but this in not the point. I have uninstalled your software. I will plan to give a bad review with indication of your company taking money from me without permission. If this problem is not resolved.

The word Free does not mean; Take what you want from others without permission
Free means; Giving others something you have without repayment

It was a simple test to determine it was your company. Upon rebooting my device, your software sends a text message from my number to my number. At least, this is what I am lead to believe. Details indicate GPS location of my SIM card/device. Plus, other information provided. When I enabled this feature there was no indication of charges would occur. Other past two months, my phone had rebooted without reason or my request. It happened any time I needed to continue to use my phone or when I was sleeping. The notification sound would wake me up and I knew it rebooted again. This timeframe was a clear line to the times indicated on my bill. Hmmm.

I called back AT&T and they indicated the charge happened again. They asked what happened. I told them what I found during my research. Since there was a large credit to my account, I did not continue with them. I returned to my phone and UNINSTALLED your app. This is a clear attempt to take money from me without requesting permission. What I truly feel sorry for is the ones who PAID for the app and continued to receive extra charges on their accounts. Hmmm.

I only ask of your company is to investigate this issue with your field application engineers or software engineers. Please find out what is causing this and fix it. Stay true to your mission statement. Stay true to your word. After all, your website paints a clear picture of what your company does within the guidelines you established. Please feel free to use me for future investigation of this issue. I would be happy to work with you.

There is one thing that I cannot remove as a possible cause. Does the software send a text message to 420720 for some other reason. There are many possible settings within the software that I don't fully understand it true function. I leave most of the settings at default from the installation. I feel this software would be of great usage on my smartphone now and the next one down the road.

[TechHead]

Here is a list of my last bill. Nothing personal, just factual information of the issue. Do you see why I cannot the remove the possible cause of something else within the software that sends these international text messages. At least 85% of these are linked to unrequested reboots of my device. Even in the middle of sending a text message or using one of my other apps.

21    04/30/2013   03:35AM   420720001669   INTL TXT   1   Sent   0.25
27    04/30/2013   03:39AM   420720001669   INTL TXT   1   Sent   0.25
81    05/01/2013   08:45PM   420720001669   INTL TXT   1   Sent   0.25
123    05/03/2013   10:40AM   420720001669   INTL TXT   1   Sent   0.25
124    05/03/2013   10:40AM   420720001669   INTL TXT   1   Sent   0.25
132    05/03/2013   10:43AM   420720001669   INTL TXT   1   Sent   0.25
133    05/03/2013   10:43AM   420720001669   INTL TXT   1   Sent   0.25
158    05/03/2013   01:51PM   420720001669   INTL TXT   1   Sent   0.25
258    05/04/2013   11:06PM   420720001669   INTL TXT   1   Sent   0.25
271    05/05/2013   09:11AM   420720001669   INTL TXT   1   Sent   0.25
317    05/05/2013   10:03PM   420720001669   INTL TXT   1   Sent   0.25
324    05/05/2013   10:05PM   420720001669   INTL TXT   1   Sent   0.25
337    05/07/2013   09:39AM   420720001669   INTL TXT   1   Sent   0.25
345    05/07/2013   09:40AM   420720001669   INTL TXT   1   Sent   0.25
355    05/07/2013   07:53PM   420720001669   INTL TXT   1   Sent   0.25
480    05/10/2013   06:24PM   420720001669   INTL TXT   1   Sent   0.25
489    05/10/2013   09:56PM   420720001669   INTL TXT   1   Sent   0.25
503    05/10/2013   11:04PM   420720001669   INTL TXT   1   Sent   0.25
504    05/10/2013   11:04PM   420720001669   INTL TXT   1   Sent   0.25
510    05/10/2013   11:05PM   420720001669   INTL TXT   1   Sent   0.25
530    05/11/2013   09:27PM   420720001669   INTL TXT   1   Sent   0.25
537    05/11/2013   09:28PM   420720001669   INTL TXT   1   Sent   0.25
570    05/14/2013   06:08AM   420720001669   INTL TXT   1   Sent   0.25
606    05/16/2013   10:56AM   420720001669   INTL TXT   1   Sent   0.25
612    05/16/2013   10:57AM   420720001669   INTL TXT   1   Sent   0.25
653    05/17/2013   11:24AM   420720001669   INTL TXT   1   Sent   0.25
654    05/17/2013   11:24AM   420720001669   INTL TXT   1   Sent   0.25
660    05/17/2013   11:26AM   420720001669   INTL TXT   1   Sent   0.25
682    05/17/2013   05:09PM   420720001669   INTL TXT   1   Sent   0.25
683    05/17/2013   05:09PM   420720001669   INTL TXT   1   Sent   0.25
689    05/17/2013   05:12PM   420720001669   INTL TXT   1   Sent   0.25
738    05/18/2013   02:08PM   420720001669   INTL TXT   1   Sent   0.25
753    05/19/2013   02:04AM   420720001669   INTL TXT   1   Sent   0.25
759    05/19/2013   02:05AM   420720001669   INTL TXT   1   Sent   0.25
765    05/19/2013   02:17AM   420720001669   INTL TXT   1   Sent   0.25
772    05/19/2013   02:18AM   420720001669   INTL TXT   1   Sent   0.25
782    05/19/2013   05:58PM   420720001669   INTL TXT   1   Sent   0.25
783    05/19/2013   05:58PM   420720001669   INTL TXT   1   Sent   0.25
784    05/19/2013   05:58PM   420720001669   INTL TXT   1   Sent   0.25
790    05/19/2013   06:00PM   420720001669   INTL TXT   1   Sent   0.25
797    05/19/2013   06:08PM   420720001669   INTL TXT   1   Sent   0.25
798    05/19/2013   06:08PM   420720001669   INTL TXT   1   Sent   0.25
799    05/19/2013   06:08PM   420720001669   INTL TXT   1   Sent   0.25
800    05/19/2013   06:08PM   420720001669   INTL TXT   1   Sent   0.25
805    05/19/2013   06:11PM   420720001669   INTL TXT   1   Sent   0.25
830    05/20/2013   01:17PM   420720001669   INTL TXT   1   Sent   0.25
891    05/21/2013   04:37PM   420720001669   INTL TXT   1   Sent   0.25
892    05/21/2013   04:37PM   420720001669   INTL TXT   1   Sent   0.25
913    05/22/2013   06:40AM   420720001669   INTL TXT   1   Sent   0.25
983    05/23/2013   07:08PM   420720001669   INTL TXT   1   Sent   0.25
1043    05/24/2013   10:07AM   420720001669   INTL TXT   1   Sent   0.25
1044    05/24/2013   10:08AM   420720001669   INTL TXT   1   Sent   0.25
1050    05/24/2013   10:10AM   420720001669   INTL TXT   1   Sent   0.25
1106    05/27/2013   07:44PM   420720001669   INTL TXT   1   Sent   0.25
1114    05/27/2013   07:45PM   420720001669   INTL TXT   1   Sent   0.25

[rhop]

I had a similar experience travelling in Europe using Maxroam for a global roaming sim. I found that the bulk of my account balance was being chewed up by SMSs indicating my position that were being sent to my wife's phone. There were some other SMSs being sent out too, which meant that I had to switch my phone to flight mode to keep enough money to make calls & send messages when I really needed to & wasted a lot of money in the 2 months that I was away and changing locations almost daily. This really needs to be addressed. I am still trying to turn this feature off and may have to simply uninstall Avast. Avast has been great for me on my PCs but this to me is a serious short coming that I hope can be addressed.

[Werner]

Hello,

during the setup of Anti-Theft you had the option to disable the SMS sent to our portal server in Prague (see screenshot below).
You can still disable this SMS service in Anti-Theft -> avast! Account

[Shanmugasundaram M]

Same Issue happend for me i didn't regonize its an avast issue i had fight with my network service provider regarding this please check and solve this issue ASAP

[CraigB]

Same Issue happend for me i didn't regonize its an avast issue i had fight with my network service provider regarding this please check and solve this issue ASAP

As mentioned by Werner in the post prior to yours untick the "Send sms to portal"

[cmatte]

Hello,

during the setup of Anti-Theft you had the option to disable the SMS sent to our portal server in Prague (see screenshot below).
You can still disable this SMS service in Anti-Theft -> avast! Account

Hi Werner,
I activated the option too, knowing sms are much more reliable than the internet which could be absent when the SIM is changed. First of all, let's say I never noticed sms sent to the portal honestly, but knowing they would cost, I'd like to understand something more. Which kind of SMS will that option send? When? I would guess it does that only in a theft scene, like sim changed, or low battery if the "always notify" option is enable...doesn't it? What else?

Thanks.
Best regards,
Matteo.

[Lisandro]

Which kind of SMS will that option send? When? I would guess it does that only in a theft scene, like sim changed, or low battery if the "always notify" option is enable...doesn't it? What else?

I would like to know too. Will the normal phone operation generate this SMS events? ROM upgrade? Thanks.

[reinhardholzner]

It depends. An SMS is sent whenever there is SIM card change - sometimes OS reports SIM card change without actually changing SIM cards, but we cannot change that.
In this case, just disable the setting above, you'll still get notifications to your friend phone numbers anyways.

[anirbantcs]

i have uninstalled the software,but still sms is going to czech number and my previous number,which charge me a lot.Please give me the solution to stop the sms.

[Werner]

i have uninstalled the software,but still sms is going to czech number and my previous number,which charge me a lot.Please give me the solution to stop the sms.

it looks like you uninstalled Mobile Security - but forgot to uninstall Anti-Theft

to uninstall our app please proceed as follows:
- open avast! Mobile Security, open the settings and select the "avast! Anti-Theft removal wizard". When it's done you can uninstall avast! Mobile Security like any other app.
- if you no longer have avast! Mobile Security installed and just want to uninstall Anti-Theft you can either reinstall avast! Mobile Security to use the wizard or proceed in these steps:

open your phone's app manager and uninstall the app with the custom name you chose on installing avast! Anti Theft.
If the uninstall fails please remove the app from the device administrators list (you can find it in your phone's settings).

to remove root installations of avast! Anti-Theft you can use the "avast! Anti-Theft removal wizard" or use the free tool "Titanium Backup".

alternatively we offer a uninstall.zip at
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/27553331/root%20uninstall.zip
unzip it and run uninstall.bat with your phone connected via USB to the pc. make sure usb-debugging is enabeled on your phone and the phone driver is installed on the PC.
If you do it on the PC where you rooted your phone you usually have these drivers available.

Regards,
Werner

[maxwell207crm]

Okay, guys, I'm having a similar issue - also with a Samsung Galaxy S3. To make a long story short, I have uninstalled Avast Anti-Theft (and checked and double-checked and had friends check to make sure I'm not pulling a stooge and installed something else instead). Also, BEFORE I uninstalled Avast Anti-Theft, I removed one person's phone number from the list of people to text in case of a SIM card change. I had three people listed, then I removed one so that only two people were listed, then I deleted the app.

However, all three people are STILL getting texts from my phone every single time I restart it.

I don't know if your server in Prague is getting texts, because I've uninstalled the app so I can no longer open the app to see whether the box to text the server is ticked or unticked.

I do still have Avast Mobile Security installed, but that program shouldn't be texting anyone, right?

Also, just to be sure, I have seen the text messages on two of the three phones in question (the third person called me, but I haven't been able to physically see her phone yet), and it is the message that I programmed into the app, and so on and so forth.



Thanks for your time.