As many as 151 Android Apps contain SMS fraud activities, which have been downloaded more than 10 million times, tricking users into paying for subscriptions.

There is really room for improvement in the Google Play review mechanism. It was just over a month ago that hundreds of Android Apps were found to have built-in GriftHorse malicious virus, was recently revealed by Avast, another well-known security company, that there are as many as 151 Apps with SMS fraud activities, and the total downloads have exceeded 10 million times, which means that many users have been tricked. The only good news is that although they also defraud users of money, the monthly amount is not said to be very high.

A whopping 151 Android Apps contain SMS fraud activities and have been downloaded more than 10 million times

According to Avast’s investigation report, they found 151 Android Apps related to the UltimaSMS activity, with a total download volume of 10.5 million times, and users in more than 80 countries. Taiwan is not sure how many there are, but at least it is not in the top 10. According to statistics, Egypt has the most, up to 2.6 million times:

The fraudulent behavior of these Apps is roughly the same. When a user installs an App, it will automatically check the location, IMEI and phone number of the mobile phone in the background. Once the user opens the App, the page will be converted to the same language as the mobile phone, and then prompted to enter the phone number, as shown in the following figure:

After entering the information, the user unknowingly subscribes to a paid text message service. The price varies in each country/region and operator, but the maximum amount can be charged, which may reach a maximum of $40 per month. Usually, this kind of SMS subscription is not discovered until the bill comes. Some people even use automatic payment by credit card, which means that it may not be known until months later.

In addition, even if you delete the Apps after subscribing, the fee will continue to be deducted. The representative said that if you want to cancel, you must contact the account operator.

Due to the large number, I won’t list them all here. Those who are interested canClick me to GitHub View all lists.

Avast also shares several key points to help users avoid downloading this type of problematic Android:

1. Be alert when downloading new apps
2. Phone number operators request to close SMS paid subscription services
3. Please read netizen comments before downloading
4. Don’t enter a phone number unless you trust the app
5. Please read carefully before entering any information
6. Only download apps from official app stores

Source: Avast

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Source: KOCPC Chinese