iPad with gmail log in odd behaviour

[Katlin]

Hi,

As a new owner of iPhone 5s and iPad Air I am very perplexed about some recent activity noticed on my gmail accounts. For the first time in 15 years of computer use I am getting emails from people on my contacts list telling me they have had suspicious emails from me. On checking recent activity on these accounts I have discovered that my mobile devices appear to have been logging in from various different places in this country and from Turkey. I have done a full scan on my laptop. No nasties were found. I also changed all the passwords for my gmail accounts last night.

However, logging in with the new passwords this morning on my Pad and then checking recent activity on my laptop shows that the iPad log in IP address is in Turkey. Any help with this one would be much appreciated. One of the reasons we decided to buy Apple mobile devices was that security is supposed to be so much better. We are now worried (for the first time since becoming computer users) that our security has been compromised.

Confused and concerned,
Katlin

 

[J. A.]

Hi,

As a new owner of iPhone 5s and iPad Air I am very perplexed about some recent activity noticed on my gmail accounts. For the first time in 15 years of computer use I am getting emails from people on my contacts list telling me they have had suspicious emails from me. On checking recent activity on these accounts I have discovered that my mobile devices appear to have been logging in from various different places in this country and from Turkey. I have done a full scan on my laptop. No nasties were found. I also changed all the passwords for my gmail accounts last night.

However, logging in with the new passwords this morning on my Pad and then checking recent activity on my laptop shows that the iPad log in IP address is in Turkey. Any help with this one would be much appreciated. One of the reasons we decided to buy Apple mobile devices was that security is supposed to be so much better. We are now worried (for the first time since becoming computer users) that our security has been compromised.

Confused and concerned,
Katlin

Hi Katlin! Welcome to iPF!

The iPad is a secure device. Usually you don't need security software/apps on a stock iPad.

I suppose that your Gmail account was hacked. The best solution would be to contact Google for help. Setting up a different password was a very good idea. Supposedly these spam emails didn't occur afterwards?

 

[Katlin]

Hi Johanna,

Thank you so much for taking the trouble to reply so soon.

I am guessing that my gmail accounts have been hacked and thought that changing the passwords would be the answer. It is early days for me to know whether or not that has stopped the spam emails as I only changed the passwords about ten hours ago.

I looked at Google Help late last night and am in the process of setting up the stage 2 verification process. I have managed it on one account so am confident I can do the same for the other two. I am not in the first flush of youth so these things tax my brain require great care. However, I have always been security conscious and am flabbergasted at this latest turn of events.

I am now beginning to doubt the authenticity of my Apple devices.

Many thanks, once again, for your support,
Katlin

 

[J. A.]

I don't think that the iPad was the reason for these spam emails. Gmail on your device is only showing what's happening on the server. To contact Gmail is important in this case, imo. They can assist you finding out if there's been given access to the account/s.

 

[Katlin]

I don't think that the iPad was the reason for these spam emails. Gmail on your device is only showing what's happening on the server. To contact Gmail is important in this case, imo. They can assist you finding out if there's been given access to the account/s.

Thank you J.A.

I have discovered that only one of our three gmail accounts has sent out spam in our name. This was on 29th March and 5th April.

However, the fact that the iPads appear to have Turkish IP addresses when logging in is a source of great concern to me. We also noticed a few days ago that the Google home page on my husband's iPad reset itself to the Turkish version without any apparent intervention from him. I was able to sort this - or so I thought - by tapping on a button at the bottom right hand corner of the screen when the iPad was in portrait mode. ( It was not properly visible in landscape and I assumed my husband had tapped on the half showing button without realising it. Unusually, I am the more 'tech savvie' of the two of us as I have used computers for a lot longer and use them for a greater variety of tasks.)

This Turkish version of Google Home Page seems to be on the pre-installed version of Safari. It may be that the device was produced with the Turkish market in mind but I cannot understand why when I am in my own home in the UK it should appear that I am logging in from Turkey.

When we took delivery of the iPads - from two different retailers - they were properly sealed and did not appear to have been pre-used. Also, information on the boxes says that the devices were designed in California but assembled in China. I am careful when buying online. I rarely go for the rock bottom prices (and indeed didn't in these cases) and read reviews carefully to try to ensure that I am dealing with bona fide sellers. I will pay more to buy from a seller with high star rating and good detailed reviews.

As you suggest I will see if I can find any answers on the Google Help. I seem to be working full time on this at present but am desperate to make sure all is secure.

Many thanks, once again, for your help.

Katlin

 

[J. A.]

The Turkish version of Google could be used in Safari because of your settings. See if this helps:

In Settings - General - Date & Time see which Time Zone is selected. If it's the wrong one, turn on Location Services and let the device look for the right zone.
Also look at Settings - General - International - Region Format. Maybe there's the wrong region.

I hope you'll get this sorted.

 

[Katlin]

The Turkish version of Google could be used in Safari because of your settings. See if this helps:

In Settings - General - Date & Time see which Time Zone is selected. If it's the wrong one, turn on Location Services and let the device look for the right zone.
Also look at Settings - General - International - Region Format. Maybe there's the wrong region.

Thank you so much, once again, for such a quick reply.

I have done as you suggested and all seems to be set correctly. I have to admit to hoping it wasn't as then perhaps the problem would have been sorted.

Am still hunting on Google for answers.

Many thanks again,
Katlin

 

[J. A.]

Too bad! I hoped this would solve the Turkish Google site.

You're welcome, and good luck with your problem!

 

[Katlin]

The Turkish version of Google could be used in Safari because of your settings. See if this helps:<br>
<br>
In Settings - General - Date & Time see which Time Zone is selected. If it's the wrong one, turn on Location Services and let the device look for the right zone.<br>
Also look at Settings - General - International - Region Format. Maybe there's the wrong region.

<br><br>Thank you so much, once again, for such a quick reply.<br><br>I have done as you suggested and all seems to be set correctly. &nbsp;I have to admit to hoping it wasn't as then perhaps the problem would have been sorted.<br><br>Am still hunting on Google for answers.<br><br>Many thanks again,<br>Katlin<br><br><br>

Hi,

I have spent hours trying to find solutions to this situation. Am putting what I have found into a nutshell in case it helps someone else.

BT thinks I should reset my router to factory settings - something I am not happy about.
Google'a answer was to sign out of all accounts - no suggestion as to how to follow that one up!!!!
Apple seemed to think that appearing to log in from Turkey was not a big deal and suggested we change our Apple ID to be on the safe side.

Many thanks to those who responded. I am grateful that people try to help.

Katlin

 

[Katlin]

Problem solved. After two weeks of racking my brain and seeking advice my son suggested it could be to do with the VPN I had downloaded from the Apple App Store. It was indeed. I disabled the VPN and now appear to log in from UK. I am now seeking a VPN that users servers in the UK. I feel the need to have a VPN for when using open hotspots away from home. Hope this might help someone else with similar problem.

 

[leelai]

Problem solved. After two weeks of racking my brain and seeking advice my son suggested it could be to do with the VPN I had downloaded from the Apple App Store. It was indeed. I disabled the VPN and now appear to log in from UK. I am now seeking a VPN that users servers in the UK. I feel the need to have a VPN for when using open hotspots away from home. Hope this might help someone else with similar problem.

Woohoo! That must be a load off your mind!

I also use a VPN every now and then to hide that I'm in Australia because of geofencing on some sites. My IP right now shows I'm in New York.....so I'm wondering if you will be able to find a VPN that will show the UK. Actually I'm wondering how all this does work....Google, here I come!

But thank you for posting back with your solution, as you said, it just may go on to help another!