signalapp
Blocked and deleted chat keeps reappearing
Using a supported version?
- [X] I have searched searched open and closed issues for duplicates.
- [X] I am using Signal-Desktop as provided by the Signal team, not a 3rd-party package.
Overall summary
Got a spam message. Then blocked the contact and deleted the chat. But the chat keeps reappearing.
Steps to reproduce
- Get a spam message.
- Block the contact.
- Delete the chat.
Expected result
Chat is deleted.
Actual result
Chat reappears after some time.
Screenshots
No response
Signal version
7.32.0-beta.1
Operating system
macOS 15.1
Version of Signal on your phone
No response
Link to debug log
No response
@rex4539 Hey there - I'm sorry this is happening to you. What are the items in the chat that cause it to reappear? Messages, or in-chat notifications?
It would really help if we could get debug logs from your primary and desktop devices, as well as the message id for a recent message in the spammer conversation (you can find that from the messages detail screen, the number next to the Sent timestamp). If you're uncomfortable providing that here, please consider sending it to [email protected]. Thanks!
There are no events that cause it to reappear.
The reappearing chat is only on the desktop app, not in the iOS app.
I cannot see any messages from that contact since it's blocked.
Log from iOS -> https://debuglogs.org/ios/7.36.0/dcfadb762f95a7af879945238a16b77ab9cb4aae2c6d6f38ff995ffef73aa46c.zip
Log from macOS -> debuglog.zip
@rex4539 I don't see anything having to do with blocked users in that log. Perhaps you could block the user, and ideally have it come back, and then right after that send the log? Logs only have about three days of data - that's probably why your previous blocking isn't there.
Hm, I unblocked the contact and saw this. Looks like the spammer deleted Signal or was some kind of bot.
Same here on Windows 11, also spam from Carly. Interestingly, Signal Desktop claimed that I would have blocked and unblocked(!) the spammer a few times over the last months (which I definitely didn't). Unluckily I haven't got a screenshot of this. Yesterday I reblocked and reported the spammer, today he's in the contacts list again. Where are the logs of Signal located on Windows?
@physikant Desktop logs are in the app, at View -> Debug Logs. If you have block/unblock oscillation, please also send debug logs from Signal on your phone. Thanks!
Here are my logs:
Android app: https://debuglogs.org/android/7.22.2/57b0393bb3f46d321e67ed8d2d7ed0618cc2fec1a3fc350e8696e492ceb6712b
Desktop client on Windows 11: https://debuglogs.org/desktop/7.31.0/ab93bc9f660b88eb763db48a0c4773f12a305997d368f850ebab7d303a897d30.gz
Today I updated the Signal client on Windows. After the programm restarted, Carly appeared again in the chat list. For a few seconds Carly was marked as blocked before switching to unblocked again.
Here's the link to the status log right afterwards: https://debuglogs.org/desktop/7.34.0/93ae70e3afd06e3bccf49536ee51b6cf756e62dc130af7aceaaa900f8a6229c3.gz
In the conversation view there is again the information that I blocked Carly on June 15th and unblocked him on the same day (although I have blocked this guy at least 5 times in the meantime, but never unblocked him).
Very strange...
@physikant Sorry again for this. It might be related to the Android app -- do you know what version of Signal Android you were using? We recently added a fix to Android 7.26 for the issue and hopefully it's fixes the problem.
@physikant Sorry again for this. It might be related to the Android app -- do you know what version of Signal Android you were using? We recently added a fix to Android 7.26 for the issue and hopefully it's fixes the problem.
Um, sorry, I don't know. Right now I'm on version 7.25.2. Anyway, now it seems that the blocked person is not reappearing after restarting the client on Windows. So I guess the problem is fixed for me. Thanks a lot!
I am also experiencing this but my android app is on 7.26.1 now. Desktop is on 7.34.0 on both my linux and macos machines. Would love a real fix as it's getting tiring having to look at the names of people I've blocked for good reasons. Sometimes they reappear so fast they come back within seconds of deleting the chat again.
@physikant Sorry again for this. It might be related to the Android app -- do you know what version of Signal Android you were using? We recently added a fix to Android 7.26 for the issue and hopefully it's fixes the problem.
Um, sorry, I don't know. Right now I'm on version 7.25.2. Anyway, now it seems that the blocked person is not reappearing after restarting the client on Windows. So I guess the problem is fixed for me. Thanks a lot!
Well, now the problem seems to be cropping up again. The problem is definitely related to the Android app. When I remove the Carly chat in Signal desktop, it reappears as soon as I open the Android app (version 7.26.1 on my phone). Really annoying
@physikant ah that does sound annoying :( seems like our fix didn't work. could you share new logs from Android and Desktop again? thank you and really sorry again
@physikant ah that does sound annoying :( seems like our fix didn't work. could you share new logs from Android and Desktop again? thank you and really sorry again
Hello, thanks for the quick feedback. Here are the links to the logs:
I'm seeing the same thing happening as well on Windows Desktop. I keeping deleting the blocked contacts chats and the conversations keep reappear when the Signal program regains focus. Here are my logs: signaldebuglog.txt
@webbsk @physikant @sourpatchdyke Would you be willing to provide some screenshots of these chats, so we can tell what kinds of messages are being generated into the conversation as the conversation reappears? You can provide redacted images here, or send to [email protected], or directly to me. Thanks!
@webbsk @physikant @sourpatchdyke The contacts in question appear to be quite strange, giving us unregistered and registered indications, alternately. If you could reach out to [email protected], we would like as much information as you can give us. If it's a spammer account, perhaps you'd be willing to give us detailed information?
@scottnonnenberg-signal In my case - the one I screenshotted is indeed a spammer so I could give detailed information, but I can't find it. When you asked for a screenshot of the chat - it was almost empty like that, and I thought maybe unblocking temporarily would reveal more, so I tried that, and when I did, the chat just disappeared. I can't figure out where to get the info now. If past blocks or deleted chats are stored somewhere I could dig up, I can get that for you, but I don't know where to look.
The other conversation this has been happening with is a real person and there's no more information about them I'd be willing to share.
At least this morning, both chats seem to be gone off all my devices. Not sure if temporary or if something was fixed. If the spammer one pops back up, I'll get you that info.
I feel like asking for detailed info just this once because it happens to be a spammer is like asking for someone's password via email just this once because there's some weird special case that makes it actually safe this one time
It's a really bad precedent to set, teaches users to do unsafe things
I'm not a computer toucher, I don't have infosec training, I don't consider myself sufficiently well informed to make the call on what information is safe to email to [email protected] - given the privacy focus of the app it seems like bad form to encourage this. Just my opinion. It seems surprising to me that your debug logs aren't adequate to troubleshoot such an obvious logic fault as "it can create a new chat entry for a contact that's been blocked".
@webbsk @physikant @sourpatchdyke The contacts in question appear to be quite strange, giving us unregistered and registered indications, alternately. If you could reach out to [email protected], we would like as much information as you can give us. If it's a spammer account, perhaps you'd be willing to give us detailed information?
In my case, the blocked person was definitely from a spammer account. Strangely, the blocked and deleted chat has not reappeared for five days now. If it reappears, I can provide information as needed.
I have the same problem, Carly keeps reappearing on my Signal Desktop 7.35.1, macos Seqoia 15.1.1; I don't see it on my Signal on iPhone nor iPad
I can confirm this issue as well. Some background info: I am using Signal only sporadically, just for chats with up to now only two contacts. Signal, currently version 7.26.1, is installed on one phone running GrapheneOS and three Windows 10 clients, all version 7.35 currently. This is all in the Dutch language. Under Windows 10 I am normally logged-in as a normal user, so without admin rights. Currently I have my phone number blocked in Signal for everyone, and am using an username. Some time ago (one or two months?) I got spams in Signal from two different accounts: Hana and Liya, which I immediately blocked, after which these disappeared from the Chat list. I am not 100% sure whether this was before or after I did hide my phone number, but I think it was after. Approx. one week ago I suddenly saw these blocked users showing up again in the Chat list on all three Windows 10 installs:
This is not happening on the phone. After reporting and removal of these chats in the Windows Desktop app these disappear again, but some time later these are appearing again and again, which is very annoying.
I am experiencing the same issue with Signal Desktop 7.35.0 on Windows 10. One or multiple automatically blocked chats keep reappearing after I delete them. They usually have a generic female first name, like 'Jenny'. This only happens on Desktop, not on Signal Mobile (for Android in my case).
None of these contacts have actually sent me a message, I believe they were all automatically blocked somehow.
Sometimes I report them first and then delete them, but they still reappear. Sometimes they stay away and after a while they disappear entirely. I can't exactly describe how these contacts behave or how to reproduce this issue, I can only say I am experiencing the same issue as other people in this thread.
I will try to document what happens next time!
I am experiencing the same issue.
I get a spam message. I report sender as spam. I block the sender. I delete the message.
Message reappears after a while.
Happens on desktop clients only.
There was another one from "Link Portfolio" but that somehow got deleted and never came back.
Thank you in advance for your replies / hard work.
Kindest regards.
AndrzejL
@Blazej-pl @kixtarter @fincentxyz @AndrzejL-eu Thanks for your reports - it would really help us track this down if you give us a debug log (View -> Debug Log). And, because this is likely due to interaction between your devices (other Desktops, other iPads, and your primary phone) - it would be useful to get a debug log from each of your other devices too. Thanks!
it would be useful to get a debug log from each of your other devices too
This are three recent debuglogs from the phone, a PC and a laptop: Laptop_Win10_Signal_debuglog_20241210.txt PC_Win10_Signal_debuglog_20241211.txt Phone_GrapheneOS_Signal_debuglog_20241211.txt I hope this helps.