ANDROID SCAM. Avast experts have identified 151 malicious apps distributed on the Google Play Store that quietly subscribe their victims to premium SMS services to extract money from them.
You don’t change a recipe that works. What is valid in the kitchen is also valid in the world of swindling. Thus, just a few weeks after the GriftHorse case revealed by Zimperium (see our article), a new scam concerning Android applications has just been reported by Avast, the publisher specializing in security, well known for its eponymous antivirus. The principle is similar. A campaign called UltimaSMS. The scam consists in retrieving the user’s information, in particular his mobile phone number, to subscribe without his knowledge to a Premium SMS service – hear, pay and mix surcharged – which is then taken directly from his telephone bill. . A known method, therefore, but which works well since it has already claimed nearly 10 million victims in some 80 countries, mainly in the Middle East.
The trouble is that the scam relies on a large number of applications – Avast has identified 151 – posted on the Google Play Store – further proof that the giant’s store must make progress in its checks … Apps in all genres: personalized keyboards, QR code scanners, video and photo editors, unwanted call blockers, call recorders, camera filters, games… there is something for everyone. Whatever their appearance, they all serve to host the same module that traps victims. During its installation, the application checks the location and code (IMEI) of the phone. Once opened, it prompts the user to enter their phone number to determine the area code and language to use for the scam and sometimes their email address, all under a spurious pretext. The scam is in place: without realizing it, the victim has taken out a subscription to a premium service whose price varies according to his geographical location.
Obviously, Avast reported the infected apps to Google, which partially removed them from the Play Store. But not all of them. And those that have been downloaded and installed are still active … Here is the complete list of 151 poisonous diseases.
- AIM PRO Helper and Custom Crosshair
- All HD Video SX – Smart Player
- All Language Photo and Voice Translator AI
- All Translator: Photo, Voice & Text
- AmazeTranslate
- Amazing Arab Videos
- Amore Live Random Chat
- Ano caller: Spam List & Caller ID
- AppLock X FREE
- AppLocker X Pro 2021
- AR Qibla Easy Finder Pro
- AR Video PRO Downloader
- Arabic Keyboard
- Battery Animation Charge 2021
- Battery Charging Effects: From 0 to 100%
- Call Voice Recording 2.0
- Calls ID Unlocker
- Camera Translator
- Cartoon Photo Editor Pro
- Chat Keyboard Translator PRO
- Chat Translator for WhatsApp
- Chat Translator Pro for WhatsApp
- Clap and Find
- Cold Fan Free 2021
- Colorful Call Screen & Phone Flash
- CosmosVPN
- Couch Watcher – Guide of Streaming
- Crime City: Revenge
- DiskRecover: Photo & Files Recovery
- Downloader ALL Social file
- Dynamic HD & 4K Wallpapers
- Earth Scanner
- Easy Chat Translator for WhatsApp
- Easy Chat Translator: All Language
- Easy Hidden Apps Detector
- Easy iOS Launcher 2021
- Easy Photo Recovery 2021
- Easy Smart Translator Pro
- Easy Wifi Access & Fast Vpn
- EasyCode: QR and Barcode Scanner
- Egyptian Gods
- Fast Dates Chat
- Fingerprint Hider 2021
- Fitness Ultimate 2021
- Football Masters 2021
- ForMuslims
- Free Launcher X Pro
- Free Secret Downloader
- Future AI Scan Free 2021
- Future Scanner FREE 2021
- FX Animate Editor Pro
- Game Center: Complete Edition
- GT Sports Racing Online
- Hacker Simulator App
- HDlife Camera and Video
- Hidden Section: Secret Lock
- ICall U – Online Video Hotchat
- iDownloader: Social Network Media
- inpulse – DJ Mix App
- iOS Launcher X 2021
- LED Border
- Likes & Followers for Tik-Tok
- Live Cam Pro 2021: Earth cam & Live Street View
- LivePhoto Animator
- Loopy Live: Global Streaming Video Chat
- Luck Casino
- Ludo Masterpiece Online
- Ludo Masters 2021
- Magic Fonts and Keyboard 2021
- Magic Keyboards and Fonts
- Magic Mix Cut – Super Video Editor
- Magic Pop It: AR & 3D Relax
- Make Wallpaper and Widget
- Mawlid An-Nabi
- Mawlid An-Nabi
- Meme Voice Changer PRO
- MiaWall4K
- Mobile Scanner Pro: PDF Scanner App, Scan to PDF 0
- Muslim Memoji & Stickers for Whatsapp
- Muslim Stickers and Memoji for WhatsApp
- My Mia 4K Wallpapers
- My Photo Battery Charging 2021
- My Rolling Icons
- New Body Shape Editor
- NewVision Camera
- NOWDownloader and Private Apps
- Parallels – Multi Accounts
- Phone Finder
- Photellon
- Photo & Voice Translator
- Photo Animation PRO
- PhotoLab Pro +
- Photoshop Detector
- Pixelize Art
- Pixler: Face Retouch & Effects
- Pro Calls Recorder
- Pro Tuber Ad Blocker for Video
- Pro Video Downloader 2021
- Professional Hidden Device Detector
- Projector HD / AR Video Editor
- HD Video Projector Editor
- Pulse Rate Checker
- Pure Tube PRO: Block Video Ads
- Qibla Finder: Qibla Compass & Prayer Times 2021
- Rainbowed: Gay Random chat & Live stream
- Rec Old File
- Recovery Old Photo
- Reface Ultra
- RGB Neon HD Keyboard Background 3
- Roll Your Icons
- Rubic’s Cube: Real Time Solver
- SecVPN: Fast and Secure VPN
- Smart City Taxi
- Smart Global Translator
- Soltpapers: 4K Custom Wallpapers
- Spam Calls Buster
- StarMaker PRO
- Stay Fit: Home Fitness Plan
- Stickers Maker ART
- Stickers Up!
- Teammate Finder
- ToEdit: Body and Face Retouch
- Truck Driver Simulation
- TrueCaller ID: Caller ID, Spam Block and Chat
- Ultima Keyboard 3D Pro
- Ultra HD Camera
- Ultra Live Wallpapers 4Κ and Ringtones
- Video Downloader Master
- Video Saver & Private Browser
- VideoMixer Editor Pro
- VidMixer Pro
- VPN Fastest Edition
- VPN Toaster: Easy Network Access
- Wallpaper Anime for Android
- Wallpaper XYZ Pro
- Wally4K
- Waterdrinker Reminder
- Whistle Phone Finder
- WhoCall Caller ID and Spam Blocker
- Whos Called: Multi-SIM Caller ID and SpamBlock
- Wi – Fi Holder
- Wi-Fi Around: All Wi-Fi and Hotspots Unlock
- Opensignal Wi-Fi
- Wi-Fi Password Unlock
- Secret Master Wi-Fi
- Wi-Fi Security and VPN
- WI-FI Unlock Password
- WI-FI UnlockerPRO
- WOX – Antivirus & Cleaner, Applock, Booster
- XCall
- XN Wallpapers: 4K / 3D / Parallax, Auto Changer
If you have any of these apps installed on your phone, check the permissions you gave it to revoke them immediately. Then uninstall it, taking care to erase all associated data. Check your phone bills to see if you’ve been billed for unsolicited services. And if necessary contact your operator to unsubscribe from the services subscribed without your knowledge and to permanently block all services of this type.
More generally, never give an application information unrelated to its primary function.