Android users alert! These 23 dangerous apps can cost you thousands – Check full list

Android is becoming the hunting ground for fraudsters. Researchers have now identified 23 scam apps that could cost users thousands. Sophos researchers recently highlighted the dangerous batch of apps that contain 'fleeceware'.

All of the apps violated the Google Play Store's policies. Source - Reuters.

Android is becoming the hunting ground for fraudsters. Researchers have now identified 23 scam apps that could cost users thousands. Sophos researchers recently highlighted the dangerous batch of apps that contain 'fleeceware'. All of the apps violated the Google Play Store's policies.

"The new Google-issued rules are designed to address some forms of deceptive marketing display copy, but they also have some loopholes that permit other behaviour some might consider unscrupulous,” researcher Jagadeesh Chandraiah explained in a blogpost.

The researchers said that these apps aim to 'fleece' money out of unsuspecting users in several ways. This includes 'spam subscriptions' and promises of free trials without stating how long for or how much you'll be charged after.

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Here is the full list of 23 apps that you should remove from your smartphone -

com.photoconverter.fileconverter.jpegconverter

com.recoverydeleted.recoveryphoto.photobackup

com.screenrecorder.gamerecorder.screenrecording

com.photogridmixer.instagrid

com.compressvideo.videoextractor

com.smartsearch.imagessearchcom.emmcs.wallpapper

com.wallpaper.work.application

com.gametris.wallpaper.application

com.tell.shortvideocom.csxykk.fontmoji

com.video.magiciancom.el2020xstar.xstar

com.dev.palmistryastrology

com.dev.furturescopecom.fortunemirror

com.itools.prankcallfreelitecom.isocial.fakechatc

om.old.mecom.myreplica.celebritylikeme.pro

com.nineteen.pokeradar

com.pokemongo.ivgocalculator

com.hy.gscanner

“You sign up once, and find yourself subscribed to a bunch of different apps as the fleeceware apps advertise one another. Users sometimes unknowingly subscribe to hundreds of dollars worth of app subscriptions by clicking buttons like these,” Chandraiah said.

He said that some apps that charge a subscription still display the costs or important terms literally in grey fonts on a white background, or using incredibly tiny fonts that virtually blend into the background of the subscription solicitation on a mobile device.

The Sophos researchers are warning people to delete the apps if they've already downloaded them. They have warned smartphone users about apps that seem unnecessarily expensive and those that promise free trials if you sign up with financial information.

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