My phone keeps sending my location to my wife.

[Martin Harriss]

Every day or so, my phone sends a text to my wife with my location and a Google maps link. I have nothing to hide, but each time it happens I get charged 12.5p - £2.25 last month!

I have tried denying app access to location and contacts and I have removed my wife's number from my contacts. All to no avail.

Does anybody have any ideas?

 

[tube517]

Do you have any of these apps?

https://www.cnet.com/news/location-tracking-apps/

 

[Martin Harriss]

No, I don't have any of these, but seeing Google+ on the list, I have just denied location and SMS to the Google app. I checked my wife's phone as well and she doesn't have anything suspicious.

 

[Dannydet]

Are you related to Michelle Brant from our forum?

 

[Martin Harriss]

No. Is she having the same problem?

 

[Rob]

Shot in the dark, but could she be logged into your google account from her phone or computer and be requesting your location as an SMS?

There are a couple ways to do this, including directly from Google Maps from a signed in device or through a messaging app where you're attaching your current location.

Definitely odd, but I hope nothing devious.

 

[Martin Harriss]

No. She is certainly not being devious (unless she has a really, really hidden agenda). She is, if anything, more irritated than I am. I will borrow her phone and have another look at her settings. She should be logged into her own Google account, but perhaps her phone thinks it knows better!

 

[svim]

If you start up the Google Maps app on your phone, tap on the three horizontal lines in the upper left corner (hamburger icon), and tap on the 'Location sharing' option. Is there an entry set up to auto-notify your wife via texting?

 

[Martin Harriss]

No. If I tap Location sharing, I get a GET STARTED screen.

 

[Xyro]

How are the texts phrased, exactly? Are they simply "Place + URL" or do they have some common, distinct phrasing that you could google?

 

[Martin Harriss]

The messages come in pairs a few seconds apart. The first reads 'Approximate location GPS: 55.12345678 lat, 0.12345678 lon, +/- 15m. at 17.31'. and the second one starts 'Exact location' and has an accuracy of +/- 5m. Then there's a google map reference link to click on. (numbers changed so you can't find my house! ) I have Googled the first bit and found somebody in another forum with exactly the same problem - and no answers.

 

[Hadron]

You could check for apps which have the permission to write or send SMS - that might help narrow down the possible candidates. There are apps that can scan permissions and show all apps that have them: Addons Detector is one I have on my phone, but I think several security apps can do this too.

Actually do you have any security/antitheft apps on your phone? They might themselves be candidates for doing this.

 

[Martin Harriss]

Good thinking Hadon. I like Addons Detector and I have turned off the ability of Hiya to send SMS leaving only Sophos Security and WhatsApp and WhatsApp doesn't have acces to location. We'll see if this stops it. Many thanks everybody.

 

[Xyro]

Good thinking Hadon. I like Addons Detector and I have turned off the ability of Hiya to send SMS leaving only Sophos Security and WhatsApp and WhatsApp doesn't have acces to location. We'll see if this stops it. Many thanks everybody.

It does sound like Sophos is responsible. This person below has the same issue:

https://community.sophos.com/produc...ophos-mobile-security-for-android-free/355553

Looking at their documentation, you can see that they always send two texts: approximate location followed by exact location.

http://docs.sophos.com/smsec/5-0/help/en/mobile/concepts/Loss_and_Theft.htm

I bet it is the low battery trigger that applies here, since that would happen once per day.

 

[Martin Harriss]

Good work Xyro! I will conduct experiments and examine the settings on my wife's phone. It's down to me because I set it up for her, so I've only myself to blame.

 

[Xyro]

Good work Xyro! I will conduct experiments and examine the settings on my wife's phone. It's down to me because I set it up for her, so I've only myself to blame.

I think @Hadron 's idea to check for SMS permissions was the real solution.

I think the settings you need to check will be on your own phone. You must have her number saved there, which is why your phone is texting her when your battery gets low.

 

[helenvn]

I would look into blocking the payments to this “unwanted service provider”. If they are not paid, they will stop their “service”.

 

[bcrichster]

Umm.. I know of spyware 'ghost apps' that do the exact same thing.. Was the device bought brand new?

'Ghost apps' = apks that disappear or hide after installation

 

[Hadron]

Umm.. I know of spyware 'ghost apps' that do the exact same thing.. Was the device bought brand new?

'Ghost apps' = apks that disappear or hide after installation

But if it was spyware reporting his location to his wife, that would only make sense if she installed it. And if she had then she would presumably know about it and not complain (or even mention it).

Whereas it's perfectly reasonable to give a family member's number to a security app, since there are circumstances in which you might want it to notify another phone of its location or accept instructions from that phone. So this seems a plausible cause of the problem to me (unexpected and unwanted consequences of an option that would make sense in some circumstances).

 

[dan330]

well.. i hope u find it...

 

[bcrichster]

But if it was spyware reporting his location to his wife, that would only make sense if she installed it. And if she had then she would presumably know about it and not complain (or even mention it).

Whereas it's perfectly reasonable to give a family member's number to a security app, since there are circumstances in which you might want it to notify another phone of its location or accept instructions from that phone. So this seems a plausible cause of the problem to me (unexpected and unwanted consequences of an option that would make sense in some circumstances).

Listen, I've actually seen it done it before cuz someone tried to run off with kids some years back (probably 4-5yrs). Being irritated is basically a psychological deflection. Like 'oh you're upset too? Couldn't be you then..' While the other person keeps hearing complaints, they'd certainly get aggravated at listening to it all the time. I really think there's more to this story tho.. Good Luck

 

[Martin Harriss]

Xyro got it right! Thank you. It was the Sophos setting on my phone "Locate at low battery". I had entered my wifes number as a security precaution so I can send texts to my phone to lock it, wipe it etc if it get. stolen. Many thanks to all contributors.

 

[dan330]

 

[PinkShadow]

Lol. OMG. Thats funny. ( you setting up her ph and now you are tracked ) I mean it us right? Lol

 

[PinkShadow]

But if u have nothing to hide...why does it bother you? One day she may need to find you...eg accident, car jack, lost etc