Google Drive 'request approval' spam notification on Pixel and other Android devices under investigation

Google Pixel and other Android users of Google Drive are facing a frustrating onslaught of spam notifications. These notifications falsely claim that someone is requesting approval to access a shared file within their Drive account. Alarmingly, clicking the notification redirects users to Google Drive, where no trace of any shared file or approval request exists.

Adding to the frustration, there’s no apparent way to block these spammers. The senders frequently change, making standard blocking methods ineffective. As if that weren’t enough, the frequency of these bogus notifications appears to be increasing, leading to significant annoyance for affected users.

The issue has been widely reported (1,2,3,4), and Google’s acknowledgment offers a glimmer of hope. A product expert in the Google Drive forum has confirmed that Google engineers are not only aware of the problem but are actively investigating the source of these spam notifications.

Unfortunately, there’s still no word on when a fix might be implemented. This leaves Google Drive users with no choice but to endure the relentless barrage of false approval request notifications for the time being.

Folks, the engineers are aware of the problem and are currently working on a fix. When I receive any further updates, I will keep you informed. Hopefully, the fix will roll out soon.

Although not confirmed, it’s possible that this spam campaign could be a phishing attempt designed to trick users into clicking suspicious links or divulging sensitive information. As such, it’s crucial for Google Drive users to remain vigilant and avoid clicking unfamiliar links or interacting with unknown senders. Until Google implements a solution, it’s best to exercise extra caution when dealing with any unexpected activity within Drive. For this case, the best you can do is dismiss the notification every time it hits your Google Pixel or Android phone.