[Google Pixel 4 Questions & Answers] Caliden2020:
Pixel 4, running android 11, fully updated acording to the phone software.

I purchased a Pixel device because they are known to have access to the most up to date security patches and are one of a few brands that check the validity of carrier service messages. Despite all this, I'm still having serious issues with the device. I wanted to ask the experts here for their thoughts and advice on how to proceed; I've already reported this to google and to cyber crime officials, none of whom seemed to care.

Here's the story:

I use outlook for my emails. On installing the Outlook app, it requests authorisation as a device administrator. Usually deactivating the device administrator prevents the app from operating. However, my phone started crashing so I began to investigate and found I could deactivate outlook as an administrator and continue to send and receive emails as if nothing had happened. This concerned me enough to do a full factory data reset.

The factory reset was conducted without restoring or transferring my previous data.

I Immediately went to the security menu and updated the system security patch version to Nov 2020, but when google play security update ran, an “Unknown” versioned update installed with no option to cancel, and now it’s displaying “September 2020” stating no further updates are available.

I was fairly suprised to see my mother’s Huawei is on the Google Play Security patch "October 2020".

On previous Android phones following a factory reset, a text would arrive with settings that eventually automatically installed. That stopped when I got the Pixel (thanks to it's ability to validate such messages?); but now we have the “Unknown” play security update instead; which makes me think this could be a targeted attack.

Other observed effects:

1) Outlook device administrator once again has no effect on the apps usage.

2) At about 8:30 this morning, a request to view my screen arrived on my phone (like you get if you call google support), and I was not on a call to support at the time.

3) The structure and visabiltiy of settings changes from time to time; preventing access to certain things (see screenshots in link below - taken within an hour of each other).

4) I book train tickets through the Trainline App. I bought two sets of tickets. The first of which appeared in the apps history, the second set did not. Thankfully I was able to travel thanks to the email recepit.

5) I ordered shopping through amazon prime. I carefully checked the delivery address at the start of the process, and on order confirmation. The map displayed showed the correct information. On the day of delivery, the shopping went to a different address altogether.

6) After the update installed, reporting issues via the default browser became impossible. The menus won't display or form validation rules / captcha checks just refuse the submisison.

Link to screenshots: "https://photos.app.goo.gl/dKdVUkiEwLvEkv3u9"

I can only conclude that the device has been compromised, and that recent vulnerabilities have led to a situation where the system data used in a factory reset, or the network (cell or wifi) has been compromised to enable the delivery of a package to the device that is able to convince it that it is a critical update direct from google; and to install it no matter what.

Can anyone offer any advice on how to proceed?