Protect yourself from cybercriminals, delete THESE apps before it's too late
3 months, 2 weeks ago

Protect yourself from cybercriminals, delete THESE apps before it's too late

India TV News  

Using a smartphone without apps is akin to using a feature phone. A number of apps harbor malware that is capable of stealing sensitive data, including personal information and banking details, directly from our smartphones. These apps, which were downloaded by millions of users—often without a second thought—were involved in stealing crucial user data such as names, addresses, phone numbers, and bank account information. These third-party apps bypass the security measures of the Google Play Store, making your sensitive information susceptible to hackers. Third-party apps are those you download from outside the Google Play Store, often through websites, APK links, or through links sent via WhatsApp or messages.

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History of this topic

New warning for smartphone users: Avoid installing these apps to protect your financial information
2 months, 1 week ago

New warning for smartphone users: Avoid installing these apps to protect your financial information

India TV News  

A new warning has been issued for smartphone users regarding the dangers of downloading certain apps. Users are being advised to avoid particular applications that can steal personal information and send it to hackers, potentially leading to significant fraud. The troublesome apps may appear legitimate, but once they’re downloaded, they request critical permissions that allow them to access your private …

Delete these 15 fake loan apps now to protect your bank account, over 80 lakh users affected
4 months ago

Delete these 15 fake loan apps now to protect your bank account, over 80 lakh users affected

India TV News  

India ranks as the number one country for downloading fake apps, according to a recent report by McAfee. McAfee has identified 15 specific fake loan apps that have been downloaded by millions—about 8 million users in total—mostly from the Google Play Store. These fake loan apps often ask for various permissions when installed, such as access to your calls, messages, …

Indian consumers still falling prey to unlawful loan applications: Report
11 months, 2 weeks ago

Indian consumers still falling prey to unlawful loan applications: Report

India TV News  

One-third of the high-confidence customers have limited knowledge about their digital loans in India. A recent report from the Fintech Association for Consumer Empowerment shared the insights from a customer survey which was conducted between December 2023 and January 2024 to systematically understand the gaps in users' approaches and knowledge about Digital Lending Applications in India and it further drives …

Google removed over 2200 fraudulent loan apps from Play Store
1 year, 1 month ago

Google removed over 2200 fraudulent loan apps from Play Store

Deccan Chronicle  

New Delhi: The government on Tuesday informed Parliament that Google has suspended or removed more than 2,200 fraudulent loan apps from its Play Store between September 2022 and August 2023. “The government is constantly engaged with the Reserve Bank of India and other regulators and stakeholders concerned to control fraudulent loan apps,” minister of state for finance Bhagwat K Karad …

Google removes 2,200 fraudulent loan apps from Play Store: MoS Finance
1 year, 1 month ago

Google removes 2,200 fraudulent loan apps from Play Store: MoS Finance

Hindustan Times  

The government is constantly engaged with the Reserve Bank of India and other regulators and stakeholders concerned to control fraudulent loan apps, Minister of State for Finance Bhagwat K Karad said in a written reply to Rajya Sabha. HT Image "As per the information received from MeitY, during April 2021-July 2022, Google had reviewed approximately 3,500 to 4,000 loan apps …

Fraudulent loan apps proliferate in India. But how big of a problem are they?
1 year, 3 months ago

Fraudulent loan apps proliferate in India. But how big of a problem are they?

Firstpost  

The Centre has ordered popular social media platforms and other websites not to host The Centre is cracking down on fraudulent loan apps. The government on Wednesday ordered social media platforms and other websites not to host Union minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar said, “One of the areas we are now cracking down on is advertising of fraudulent loan apps that many …

Google pulls 17 fraudulent Android loan apps targeting Indian users
1 year, 3 months ago

Google pulls 17 fraudulent Android loan apps targeting Indian users

India TV News  

Google pulls 17 fraudulent Android loan apps targeting Indian users As per the privacy policies of these apps, if those permissions are not granted, the loan will not be reimbursed to the users. Researchers said that they have found 18 fraudulent loan apps on Play Store that personate themselves as genuine personal loan service providers. ESET researcher Lukas Stefanko, who …

Google Play Store warns users of battery-draining apps, 43 malicious apps removed
1 year, 7 months ago

Google Play Store warns users of battery-draining apps, 43 malicious apps removed

India TV News  

Google Play Store warns users of battery-draining apps, 43 malicious apps removed McAfee's Mobile Research Team identified these apps, which were then reported to Google for violating Play Store policies. Recently, Android users have been cautioned to stay vigilant and remove certain questionable apps from their devices due to their potential to drain battery life and consume mobile data, even …

Apple removes 6 loan apps from App Store: Read how predatory loan apps target the vulnerable and how to stay safe
1 year, 8 months ago

Apple removes 6 loan apps from App Store: Read how predatory loan apps target the vulnerable and how to stay safe

Op India  

Apple has reportedly removed six predatory personal loan apps from App Store in India in the first week of July 2023. A user reviewed the app on App Store and said, “I borrowed an amount in a helpless situation and a day before repayment due date I got some messages with my pic and my contacts in my phone saying …

Apple removed these loan apps from App Store. Delete them from your iPhone now
1 year, 8 months ago

Apple removed these loan apps from App Store. Delete them from your iPhone now

Hindustan Times  

Technology behemoth Apple has removed several lending apps from the App Store in India after reports of them harassing the borrowers came into light. Recently, the App Store had stopped more than $2 billion in fraudulent transaction last year and rejected nearly 17 lakh app submissions for having failed in meeting the company's standards of quality and safety. Fintech sector …

Urgent warning for Android users over apps that steal your bank details
1 year, 9 months ago

Urgent warning for Android users over apps that steal your bank details

Daily Mail  

Android users across the UK have been issued with an urgent warning over a security threat that could end up stealing their bank details. The latest threat was discovered by the security team at ThreatFabric and is using apps uploaded to the Google Play Store to infect phones with fraudulent Anatsa banking trojan. An existing bug is wreaking havoc for …

Strict rules for lending apps, combating malware underline Google’s Play Store
1 year, 11 months ago

Strict rules for lending apps, combating malware underline Google’s Play Store

Hindustan Times  

Google has revealed some numbers, which perhaps best illustrate the problem, of how malicious apps and their developers, are attempting to hoodwink unsuspecting users. {{^userSubscribed}} {{/userSubscribed}} {{^userSubscribed}} {{/userSubscribed}} The company’s data suggests they prevented as many as 1.43 million apps from being published on the Play Store for Android users, which violated one or more policy conditions. {{^userSubscribed}} {{/userSubscribed}} {{^userSubscribed}} …

Google prevented 1.43 million apps from entering Play Store for policy violation
1 year, 11 months ago

Google prevented 1.43 million apps from entering Play Store for policy violation

Live Mint  

Search giant Google said Thursday that it has blocked more than 1.43 million ‘policy-violating apps’ from entering the Play Store. The company also said it has "raised the bar" for new developers joining the Play Store ecosystem, resulting in a reduction in the number of accounts used to publish violative apps. In a blog post on Thursday, the search giant …

Google took action against over 3,500 loan apps in India for violating norms in 2022
1 year, 11 months ago

Google took action against over 3,500 loan apps in India for violating norms in 2022

India TV News  

New Delhi: Google took action against over 3,500 loan apps in India in 2022 for violating Play Store policy requirements, the company said on Thursday. Google said that overall it prevented 1.43 million policy-violating apps from being published on Google Play banning 173,000 bad accounts preventing over USD 2 billion in fraudulent and abusive transactions in 2022. "In India, in …

Crypto scam app bypass security restrictions on Apple and Google app stores: Report
2 years, 1 month ago

Crypto scam app bypass security restrictions on Apple and Google app stores: Report

The Hindu  

Cybercriminals operating crypto scam apps have found a way to bypass security protocols on Apple and Google official app stores to publish fraudulent apps, a report from Sophos cybersecurity shared. Threat actors are remotely changing content to make fake apps slide through the official review process of Apple and Google app stores to post apps which are then used to …

Google Banned Over 2000 Harmful Personal Loan Apps In India This Year From Play Store
2 years, 7 months ago

Google Banned Over 2000 Harmful Personal Loan Apps In India This Year From Play Store

News 18  

Google said it has purged more than 2,000 controversial personal loan apps from its Play Store in India in the January-June period after consulting with the law enforcement agencies. Google now requires personal loan apps in India to complete the additional proof of eligibility requirements. The eligibility includes copy of their license by the Reserve Bank of India, and declaration …

Google removes over 2,000 loan apps from India Play Store since Jan
2 years, 7 months ago

Google removes over 2,000 loan apps from India Play Store since Jan

Deccan Chronicle  

NEW DELHI: Google has removed over 2,000 loan apps from India Play Store since January this year for violating terms, misrepresenting information, and questionable offline behaviour, a senior official said. Saikat Mitra, Senior Director and Head of Trust and Safety, Google APAC said the company is commited to complying with regulations in all jurisdictions it operates in, and termed online …

Google Play got rid of 2K controversial personal loan apps- Know more
2 years, 7 months ago

Google Play got rid of 2K controversial personal loan apps- Know more

India TV News  

Google has stated that it has started taking off 2,000 controversial personal loan apps from its Play Store in India in the January-June period after consulting with law enforcement agencies. The eligibility includes a copy of their license by the Reserve Bank of India, and a declaration that they are not directly engaged in money lending activities and are only …

BEWARE! These malicious apps on Google Play store may harm your phone- Tips to protect your device
2 years, 7 months ago

BEWARE! These malicious apps on Google Play store may harm your phone- Tips to protect your device

India TV News  

These malicious apps on Google Play store may harm your phone- Tips to protect your device Google Play Store: Here are the apps which might harm your device. Google Play Store has been a growing space for cyber-criminals working on malicious apps. These apps are listed on the Google Play Store and have resulted in malware and banking trojans in …

Six Android Apps Found To Be Spreading Banking Malware: Full List
2 years, 11 months ago

Six Android Apps Found To Be Spreading Banking Malware: Full List

News 18  

Market research firm Check Point Research has discovered six Android apps on the Google Play Store that are spreading banking malware by portraying themselves as antivirus apps. The six apps that have been found are named Atom Clean-Booster, Antivirus; Antivirus, Super Cleaner; Alpha Antivirus, Cleaner; Powerful Cleaner, Antivirus; and two version of the Center Security – Antivirus app. According to …

Stop using these anti-virus apps from Google Play Store, as they are stealing data
2 years, 11 months ago

Stop using these anti-virus apps from Google Play Store, as they are stealing data

India TV News  

In a bizarre incident, at least 15,000 Android users downloaded anti-malware apps from Google Play Store which, instead of protecting them from hackers, infected their devices to steal passwords, bank details and other personal information, a new report showed on Thursday. The six malware apps in the disguise of anti-virus apps have now been removed by Google from Play Store …

Instant digital loan apps become easy trap for cheating, harassment
2 years, 11 months ago

Instant digital loan apps become easy trap for cheating, harassment

The Hindu  

A man from Coimbatore recently downloaded an instant loan app after he faced financial emergency. Another victim, a woman, availed a small loan from a micro-credit app from which she was redirected to many similar digital instant loan apps. In the latest case, a man from Coimbatore installed one of the instant loan apps and submitted certain details for a …

Google removed 150 malicious apps from Play Store, check the list
3 years, 5 months ago

Google removed 150 malicious apps from Play Store, check the list

India Today  

Google has banned more than 150 malicious apps from Play Store. The apps that were removed by Google from play store were part of a campaign called UltimaSMS wherein the malicious actors lure victims to sign in for premium SMS services. The users fell for the scam because the apps promised money in return of the services, as per Avast …

Hundreds of Scam Apps Hit Over 10 Million Android Devices
3 years, 6 months ago

Hundreds of Scam Apps Hit Over 10 Million Android Devices

Wired  

Google has taken increasingly sophisticated steps to keep malicious apps out of Google Play. As is often the case, the attackers were able to sneak benign-looking apps like "Handy Translator Pro," "Heart Rate and Pulse Tracker," and “Bus - Metrolis 2021” into Google Play as fronts for something more sinister. But the researchers say it's significant that attackers were able …

Android smartphone users alert! Remove these 9 apps with hidden Trojan virus
3 years, 8 months ago

Android smartphone users alert! Remove these 9 apps with hidden Trojan virus

Live Mint  

The Android ecosystem has encountered a new batch of virus that hide themselves in applications. While Google Play Store may have removed these apps, users who might have downloaded the apps should also delete them from their device in order to steer clear from any further compromise. A cybersecurity service provider, DrWeb has published a new report showcasing the discovery …

Google Has Removed Indian Personal Loan Apps From Play Store For Violating Safety Policies
4 years, 2 months ago

Google Has Removed Indian Personal Loan Apps From Play Store For Violating Safety Policies

News 18  

Google said today that it has ‘immediately removed’ personal loan apps from the Play Store in India for violating its user safety policies. Google said in a blog post that it reviewed hunders of personal loan apps in the country based on flags submitted by users and government agencies. According to a Reuters investigation, at least 10 Indian lending apps …

Google removes some personal loan apps from Store, warns others
4 years, 2 months ago

Google removes some personal loan apps from Store, warns others

The Hindu  

Google on Thursday said it had removed some personal loan apps from its application store after reviewing hundreds of such apps for violation of user safety policies. “Personal loan apps have received attention recently, and we wanted to clarify the action we have taken on these apps on Google Play,” she said. The Google Play Developer Policy required financial services …

Lending apps thrive on India's Google Play despite policy violations
4 years, 2 months ago

Lending apps thrive on India's Google Play despite policy violations

The Hindu  

At least 10 Indian lending apps on Google's Play Store, which have been downloaded millions of times, breached Google rules on loan repayment lengths aimed at protecting vulnerable borrowers, according to a Reuters review of such services and more than a dozen users. "Predatory loan apps with high processing fees, short tenures and steep penalty charges on default are leading …

Loan apps remain on India Google store despite violations, deaths
4 years, 2 months ago

Loan apps remain on India Google store despite violations, deaths

Al Jazeera  

Indian officials are investigating dozens of lending apps following the suicides of at least two borrowers in the past month. At least 10 Indian lending apps on Google’s Play Store, which have been downloaded millions of times, breached Google rules on loan repayment terms aimed at protecting vulnerable borrowers, according to a Reuters news agency review of such services and …

Attention Android Users, the Google Play Store is Full of Viruses: Beware of What You Download
4 years, 6 months ago

Attention Android Users, the Google Play Store is Full of Viruses: Beware of What You Download

News 18  

Android users, be very careful before downloading an app that you do not know much about. Recent reports surfacing from numerous cyber security organisations state that the Google Play Store is facing an increasing influx of advanced malware now, more than ever before. The case in point is a recent report by cyber security organisation Zscaler, whose ThreatLabZ security research …

Google Removes 17 Android Apps From Play Store After They Were Found Stealing User Data
4 years, 6 months ago

Google Removes 17 Android Apps From Play Store After They Were Found Stealing User Data

News 18  

Google has removed 17 Android applications from its Play Store after they were found to be infected with Joker malware. Zscaler security researcher Viral Gandhi said that Google’s Android Security team took prompt action to remove the suspicious apps from the Google Play store. Further, Zscaler went on to explain the tactics used by the malware author to bypass Google …

Android Users Alert! The Following 'Fleeceware' Apps Can Cost You Thousands
4 years, 7 months ago

Android Users Alert! The Following 'Fleeceware' Apps Can Cost You Thousands

News 18  

Cybersecurity experts have revealed that a batch of misleading apps on Google Play Store has the potential to dupe users and cost them thousands. Researchers from IT security company Sophos added that these 23 apps clearly violate Google Play Store’s security policies as well. Chandraiah in his blog post detailed that the creators on Google Play use a ‘blind subscription’ …

Remove these 100+ Android scam apps if you have them: Here's why
4 years, 11 months ago

Remove these 100+ Android scam apps if you have them: Here's why

India TV News  

A new set of malicious Android apps have been found that could easily hack an Android smartphone. Delete these 103 malicious Android apps A recent report by CyberNews suggests that a network of 27 malign app developers have been found out. The 27 developers made fake Android apps, which were available on the Google Play Store and had a total …

Avoid these iOS apps have Fleeceware and can steal your money
4 years, 11 months ago

Avoid these iOS apps have Fleeceware and can steal your money

India TV News  

Usually, Google Play Store is the one being home to malware-laden apps or the ones with malicious intentions and Apple is the one coming with all the security. The blog post by Sophos Labs reads, "Fleeceware apps are not officially malicious, but they are unethical, preying on consumer trust with devious techniques designed to make money. This suggests that both …

Google Play apps bombard users with 'horrible, intrusive' ads and deplete their battery
5 years, 2 months ago

Google Play apps bombard users with 'horrible, intrusive' ads and deplete their battery

The Independent  

Sign up to our free weekly IndyTech newsletter delivered straight to your inbox Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter Sign up to our free IndyTech newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy More than a dozen popular games, health trackers and other apps on the …

Google removes 27 apps that guided users to fake Play Store
5 years, 7 months ago

Google removes 27 apps that guided users to fake Play Store

Live Mint  

New Delhi: Google has removed 27 apps that prompted users to install a fake Play Store after researchers from Pune-based Quick Heal Technologies spotted these malicious apps of dropper category and reported the issue. These apps were designed to infect devices with adware after someone fell prey to their continuous installation prompts for fake "Google Play Store", Quick Heal Security …

Google removes apps allowing spying on partner, kids, employees: Check this list, delete them from your phone
5 years, 8 months ago

Google removes apps allowing spying on partner, kids, employees: Check this list, delete them from your phone

India Today  

The Android universe is quite vulnerable to security threats from various cyber elements, with the most common risk coming for malware infestation. Unlike Apple, Google doesn't have a very tight grasp over what goes on the Play Store and as a result, we often hear Google clearing out numerous apps from the store to prevent further infestation. These apps require …

Don’t become a victim of phishing next time you download an app on your phone
6 years, 1 month ago

Don’t become a victim of phishing next time you download an app on your phone

Live Mint  

It’s common to receive WhatsApp messages warning against downloading certain apps that can steal your information or clean out your bank account. In an alert issued on 14 February, the Reserve Bank of India warned banks and payment system operators about an app called AnyDesk, which was allegedly being used by fraudsters to gain access to data from customers’ phones, …

Are banking apps risky? Tips on how to identify fake apps on the Google Play Store
6 years, 5 months ago

Are banking apps risky? Tips on how to identify fake apps on the Google Play Store

India TV News  

Talking of Android apps, there have been a number of fake apps that prevail on the Play store and some of these apps are a complete rip-off of the original ones. Well, now there happens to be a set of fake banking apps that are there on the Google Play Store, which steal data of users by making them fill …

Never Ever (Ever) Download Android Apps Outside of Google Play
8 years, 3 months ago

Never Ever (Ever) Download Android Apps Outside of Google Play

Wired  

This week, researchers revealed that a strain of malware hit at least 1.3 million Android phones, stealing user data as part of a scheme to boost ad revenue. "Google Play automatically scans for potentially malicious apps as well as spammy accounts before they are published on the Google Play Store," Google said in a statement to WIRED. "We also introduced …

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