Samsung galaxy s4 antitheft locked phone

[Charlieboyoo]

Hi everyone i was wondering if anyone can help me or advise me.I ve using a new galaxy s4 for a few weeks and on saturday the phone froze.I thought it was rebooting,it has for my pin and then it said this phone is stolen,please return to ****** Type in unlock code.I went home and gotin touch with o2 and i couldnt speak with anyone 45 min wait 😞 so i had to chat to an advisor online.I was told there was no block or bar on the phone.So i went online and went to my google email adress and seen a message about different sim on phone.The avg antivirus that came with the phone locked the phone down and said it was stolen.I managed to unlock it.But could anyone please explain what happened or how it happened.Was very annoyed like.

[MI5]

At least you know that if your phone gets stolen it's useless to anyone without your Google ID

[Charlieboyoo]

yeah thats true

[Anonymous]

What happen's if the thief reflashes the phone's firmware?

I know flashing a non Samsung firmware will trip the Knox E fuse.

Would reflashing another firmware erase the owners details from the phone allowing someone else to use it until the IMEI got barred?

[MI5]

No, because Odin does not wipe the phone.

[Anonymous]

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@MI5 wrote:
No, because Odin does not wipe the phone.

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So Samsung firmware flashing just reinstalls the firmware & doesnt wipe the complete phone back to out of the box state like flashing a Sony Xperia does?

[MI5]

That is correct.