Over 150 malicious apps were recently discovered in Google Play Store! Unfortunately for users, these scam Android apps are convincingly disguised as legitimate tools. Users should be on the lookout for the so-called Google Play Store scam apps.
Cybercriminals and their scam strategies are getting creative in these last few months. At least 151 scam apps were found disguised as legitimate tools like photo editors, camera filters, QR codes scanners and even games. Most victims who signed up on these apps had their money stolen.
Google Play Store Scam Apps: List of Fake Apps
The cybersecurity software company Avast reported this discovery last October 25. They provided a list of scam apps found in the Google Play Store and emphasized that these were already downloaded more than 10.5 million times.
Here are some of the said apps:
- AppLock X FREE
- Crime City: Revenge
- Dynamic HD & 4K Wallpapers
- FX Animate Editor Pro
- RGB Neon HD Keyboard Background
- Ultra Camera HD
- Ultima Keyboard 3D Pro
- VideoMixer Editor Pro
- Wi-Fi Password Unlock
- Wi-Fi Around: All Wi-Fi and Hotspots Unlock
Note that this is only a small list of the discovered scam apps. Apparently, they are carrier of the UltimaSMS scam campaign.
Google Play Store Apps: UltimaSMS Steals Your Money
According to BGR, UltimaSMS is a premium SMS scam campaign. It unfairly charges $40 per month on fake subscription services. UltimaSMS apps also access the victims' phone location, IMEI, phone number and country code area during the scam execution. The scam app consistently charges bills every week during its service.
Notably, UltimaSMS is using a simple but effective strategy. Many users might not notice the scam immediately because they are looking forward to downloading the new app. Victims end up discovering it a little too late when they are charged with excessive payments. To avoid this, users are recommended to be careful and to remain vigilant when downloading apps.
Uninstall Fake Apps Now: How to Avoid UltimaSMS Scam
To avoid falling victim to UltimaSMS, users should immediately uninstall the previously mentioned fake apps. Users should also avoid the other UltimaSMS fake apps which Github listed on this website.
Victims should also deactivate the premium SMS option with their respective operators to make UltimaSMS scams ineffective. The procedure might vary depending on the carrier service.
Android users downloading new apps are advised to be careful about the app permission and instructions. Carefully read over the installation procedure and be conscious about the information it asks for. Users should only download apps and give personal information to trusted sources or websites.
It is worth noting that the previously mentioned UltimaSMS scam apps were already taken down from Google Play Store at the time of writing. This should reduce the number of victims downloading from the app store in the future. However, nothing is stopping scammers from using the same strategy in the future, so users should still be on guard.
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