Don’t Get Scammed By These Fake Crypto Apps On The Google Play Store

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Cryptocurrencies continue to gain popularity, but as interest grows so does the creativity of crooks seeking to capitalize on a cultural shift to scam people. According to a recent report from the Trend Micros cybersecurity team, there are now dozens of fake crypto and wallet mining apps on the Google Play Store, tricking users into paying for bogus services such as mining. and cloud storage.

The report specifically refers to eight applications:

Bitcoin 2021Bitcoin Miner Cloud MiningBitcoin (BTC) Pool Mining Cloud WalletBitFunds Crypto Cloud MiningCrypto Holic Bitcoin Cloud MiningDaily Bitcoin Rewards Cloud Based Mining SystemEthereum (ETH) – Pool Mining CloudMineBit Pro – Crypto Cloud Mining & btc miner

Most of these apps were hiding one of the same two bogus mining apps, either Trend Micro labeled AndroidOS_FakeMinerPay or AndroidOS_FakeMinerAd which tricks users into paying for fake cloud mining services, usually for a fee. monthly recurring $ 15. In fact, none of the apps actually mined or paid users for cryptocurrencies.

Some also pushed paid ads and additional in-app purchases, and at least two of the Crypto Holic and Daily Bitcoin app rewards were premium apps that users had to purchase in order to download.

Google removed these apps from the Google Play Store following the Trend Micros report. The deleted apps are then disabled and removed from any devices they are downloaded to, but it is always wise to confirm that they are deleted from your Android phone if you have downloaded any of the apps listed above.

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There are even more bogus crypto apps

Unfortunately, even after these bans (and Google’s review of its own crypto policies), researchers at Trend Micros claim that there are still over 120 other fraudulent crypto apps available on the Play Store right now. Some have been downloaded by over 100,000 users. And these apps will not be called or removed until it has been proven that they are in fact committing some form of crypto fraud.

As we remind you every time any of these malware app stories surface, be sure to carefully check every software you download. Stick to well-known apps and developers, and be sure to read ratings and reviews, including those from trusted sites like the Google Play Store. It’s also worth doing a quick internet search, or even getting a second opinion on a reliable discussion board.

Yet malicious developers will do whatever they can to make their apps look legitimate. Don’t pay for any special apps, services, or features unless you are sure they are real. If you have any doubts, do not transmit your payment information or your personal data. And if you’re already paying for an app that claims to offer cloud mining services but haven’t seen any returns, that means it’s probably bogus. Remove the app and report it immediately.

[Cointelegraph]

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