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Weird/creepy tech question for anyone who has experience

So I am going through my laptop trying to create space. I went to something called a mobile sync backup to delete some files. Not really knowing what was in there, I started perusing through a bit of the many thousands of files inside to make sure it was disposable. All the files appear to be text edit files, some of which were pictures. However, I started noticing that there was not a single photo in this backup I recognized, as if it was someone else's backup completely. Does any tech-minded person have any idea how this backup of some weird phone ended up on my laptop? I don't recall anyone plugging their phone into my laptop, much less back it up on my laptop, and anyone who might have wouldn't have on their device the stuff I saw (it was weird stuff like sexy anime girls dressed as animals, random dongs and women in lingerie, etc.).

by Anonymousreply 14December 12, 2019 5:50 PM

Maybe you bought a computer that was returned, repackaged, and sold as "new."

Did you let anybody borrow your computer?

by Anonymousreply 1December 12, 2019 3:45 AM

someone working in the store unboxed it and then repackaged it. if it's that many pictures etc it's unlikely someone connected via Bluetooth while you were both on borrowed /public/unsecured wifi.

by Anonymousreply 2December 12, 2019 3:53 AM

You just recovered those deleted files on the hard disc. And probably the HD has been used before. Creepy.

But any sordid raunchy photos you want to share here?

by Anonymousreply 3December 12, 2019 4:09 AM

I remember several years back reading an article about a guy who found unknown mp3s on his computer and it turned out that an apartment neighbor, if I remember right, had been using (without permission) the author's wifi and somehow her downloads ended up on his computer.

I may have some of the terminology wrong, but that's what I remember. I'll try to find the story.

by Anonymousreply 4December 12, 2019 4:15 AM

Better do a complete virus and malware scan, eg MalwareBytes. Also get Wise Care 365. Both free.

by Anonymousreply 5December 12, 2019 5:12 AM

Delete system32.

by Anonymousreply 6December 12, 2019 5:23 AM

Thanks to all who replied, as I am truly stumped. I bought the laptop new about 6 years ago and, as far as I know, these files weren't on there when I bought it (I'm pretty sure). Also, the date on the all the files (altogether as a single backup), was Nov. 2, 2019. And from what I can tell, they were actually from a mobile backup, e.g. someone backed up a mobile device to my laptop or one somehow got attributed to my laptop, perhaps over wifi or something like that. Someone connecting their phone to my laptop actually could happen, except the stuff in the backup was so freaking random. I mentioned a bunch of sexy animal-type cartoons, like a sexy female tigers and bears, etc.. No one I know who would have access to my laptop would be into something like that. There were also dozens of random photos of faces, nudes, both male and female (thankfully nothing I could identify as illegal). Also what was strange was all the nude photos looked like personal ones that someone would take, like a selfie dick pic, as opposed to something taken offline. I almost wonder if it was something weird over grindr, because a lot of the photos looked like something you'd get over grindr. And none of them were sexy or worth sharing, that's part of why I could tell they weren't mine, because they were truly not anything that I would have saved. Another odd thing was there were a bunch of photos of Lyft car icons, like the ones seen on the map when you open the app. So yeah, strange, but the files are deleted. I may take it into apple to see if they can look at it, because I am not good with anti-virus and anti spyware. I'd love to hear any other weird theories, because I found it so bizarre. And I'd be interested in that article R4.

by Anonymousreply 7December 12, 2019 5:31 AM

AirDrop on Mac? You can adjust who is able to drop in.

by Anonymousreply 8December 12, 2019 5:34 AM

Could you really air drop an entire, 14GB backup though? R6 can you elaborate? I don't know what that means.

by Anonymousreply 9December 12, 2019 5:54 AM

Sounds like your backup to the cloud got mixed with someone else. I know that is not supposed to happen but I just had some similar mix up on a website that sells furniture. Someone ordered a crock pot but it showed up under my name but with all their personal info, credit card, street address and similar but not exactly the same email.

AirDrop is possible but usually it get a notice to accept.

Used in the store by some low life employee then reboxed is possible too.

Hacked account. Someone is logging in under your name and using your computer or online account storage for their own nefarious reasons.

by Anonymousreply 10December 12, 2019 6:15 AM

Kudos to OP. Well played.

Readers, the photos are criminal in nature and if caught, OP wants to go with the "these weren't my photos, honestly!" and "I even asked for help on the internet to see how they could get on to my laptop."

Good luck with the trial OP!

by Anonymousreply 11December 12, 2019 6:50 AM

It sounds like you have found the small throwaway files that are created when you visit web pages. They could be logos from ads, thumbnail pictures or similar elements that were on web pages.

You don't recognize them because they are not likely something you actively browsed and they are out of context, but they were probably scattered here and there throughout your browsing and the residual files were never cleared out by the system. Often, they will be found in a folder marked "Temporary". Cleaning the cache sometimes deletes these unused files.

by Anonymousreply 12December 12, 2019 7:27 AM

R9, For example. I was on my iMac and I wanted to AirDrop something to my iPhone. I went into "Finder" on my iMac and went into AirDrop, which shows you (icons) what devices are nearby (available for a drag and drop). In addition to my iPhone, I saw someone else's iPhone (I assume it was from the apartment next door). I was kind of horrified, because that meant they could "see" my devices as well, and possibly drop stuff into my devices. So, I went into my settings and changed it. Only my devices can "see" each other, supposedly.

When I do AirDrop between my own devices, there's no extra step to ask/give permission. It just copies a file into the 2nd device.

Hope that helped.

Offsite Link
by Anonymousreply 13December 12, 2019 3:17 PM

If it is in fact stored items in your cache, you can easily clear them. You must do this for every browser you use. It is in the Settings or Options, under Privacy, or alternatively ask in a search engine How to clear cache in Firefox, for example.

by Anonymousreply 14December 12, 2019 5:50 PM
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