Never mind this isn’t the pit.
Samsung almost bricked my phone after a hard reset because I couldn’t get their verification code. Its part of their phone software.
It’s totally separate from the Google Account verification
I never wanted a Samsung account. They force it on us.
I don’t use Samsung Apps. Only Google Apps from the official store.
Yup. And the account has pop up notifications and ads that can’t be shut off. I love everything about my phone except the Samsung bullshit.
Mine was sending a Samsung Account verification code to my old tablet. I had to dig it out of the closet and charge. Just to get the code.
Hard Resets are stressful enough.
Now it’ll take another 45 minutes for all the Samsung Updates to finish. I don’t use their junk.
Google has already restored my account and Apps.
I think my SIMM card is hosed. I still don’t have phone service. The reset cleared the Malware. But can’t fix the Simm. I’ll request a new one from Consumer Cellular
My Samsung phone was once bricked by a software update that wouldn’t finish. Both Samsung and the carrier pointed their fingers at the other guy, and I never did get any resolution, I had to buy a new phone on my own dime. I left the carrier over that, but I can’t find any other non-Apple phones that I like, so I’m still stuck with Samsung.
This is some kind of horror story. 
Depending on how much you want to spend, I suggest the Sony Xperia 1 V. Unlocked, dual SIM, SD card, headphone jack, dual forward speaker, side mounted fingerprint reader, 21:9 4k display, and an excellent set of cameras, and no notch. And basically stock Android.
I found out from Consumer Cellular my email was used to activate a different Simm and number. My phone number was cancelled.
They’re working now to fix it. I may be down until they can mail a new SIMM
I’ve already started changing my passwords using a different phone. Called my bank etc.
I didn’t know anything like this could happen. I thought my SIMM was damaged and needed replacing.
But I was hacked at Consumer Cellular and my phone. I already did a Hard Factory reset this morning.
If I’d known all of this I wouldn’t have brought a Samsung phone. I’ve already had an issue. I had to shut off rhe phone and I couldn’t unless I finished setting up my Samsung account. I don’t use their crap either.
The last time I had a Samsung phone was years ago, it was a BlackJack II. That was about 16 years ago. It was not a great phone, the worst part that I remember was the proprietary jack that didn’t allow you to plug in any non-Samsung headsets or chargers.
I’ve owned multiple Samsung tablets though, and currently own a Samsung Tab S8+ which I love.
I stopped buying Samsung phones some years ago after getting one with a stupid “Bixby” button which apparently couldn’t be disabled. I’ve been very happy with the OnePlus phones I’ve been using since then.
$1200 for a smart phone? I could buy more than 6 of my current phone for that. It doesn’t seem worth it just to avoid Samsung, phones with which I have had only one or two serious problems in all the years I’ve been using them.
Although I don’t know what “no notch” means, maybe that’s the magic pill that makes this phone worth the price. /s
Just what it sounds like, no cut or punch into the display portion of the screen for a camera. And yes, for me, things like that and the headphone jack and the SD card are worth the premium but they aren’t for everyone.
And I totally get that $1200 is a lot for a phone. I’m still on the III version of mine from 2.5 years ago and it cost as much as all my previous smartphones put together. However, some people really do want the top end Galaxy or iPhone and you didn’t say what you were using.
A cheaper option that I’ve also been happy with in the past is Motorola. Generally under $500, reasonably powerful, and the last I had was also basically stock Android with the addition of the actually very useful “Moto gestures”.
I had the Bixby problem too. Under settings, side buttons, there’s an option to assign the button for power down.
I got hacked bad. I already sent a list of fraudulent charges to my bank.
I suspect a key logger got installed. I’m not sure. I went the safest route with full factory reset .
There’s a lot of catch22’s with verification.
Text pin to phone fails when you lose carrier service like I did.
Same thing with a voice call to verify.
I can’t stand Bixby but to be honest, I can’t stand Siri either.
this is the biggest reason I won’t get rid of my iphone. I’m not an Apple fanboy by any means, but they do work well, and they are supported for a long time, which is important to me since I keep phones for 4+ years typically.
I have to support a lot of Apple phones as part of my job. We are just now forced to replace the iPhone XR series of devices because they won’t be able to install new iOS updates in a manner of months. But I see it first came out in late 2018, and that’s close to 6 years of support. That’s not that bad at all.
I enjoy everything about my Samsung phone except any / all of the Samsung software. I’d uninstall all of it if I could.
I have had zero of the problems described upthread, thank goodness, but there is nothing their software does that I have any desire to have. It’s all bloatware and/or spyware in my book.
Yay! Thanks to you guys, I can turn off my phone without having Bixby do it for me.
I’ll pass this valuable tip on to people that have been hacked.
Only Changing a password won’t save you!
You have to sign off any devices attached to the account.
Amazon (account,security) has a option to Sign Off all devices and then it requires a password change. I had 3 suspicious devices waiting for me to update my payment method. (I had reported my credit card fraud).
Google makes us sign off each device. I had 5 listed. 2 were Iphones and I don’t own any! Its under Manage Account, Security. Look for Your Devices, Where Your Signed on.
I’ve learned a lot in the past two weeks.
Oh boy. I didn’t know this! Looks like my old phone will have to go away.