Smartphone users warned not to delete these 17 dangerous apps

Technique

by Ben Cost

Here's how to avoid ocalypse.

Technology experts have warned smartphone users against deleting 17 popular financial apps that have been found to be infected with malware. These digital Trojans have the ability to steal sensitive data from your phone, such as financial information.

These problematic apps, known as SpyLoan apps, were widespread in the Google Play Store – and some were discovered in the Apple App Store as well. Forbes reported last month.

“Since the beginning of 2023, [our] “Researchers have observed a worrying growth in fraudulent Android loan apps,” Lukasz Stefanko, of cybersecurity firm ESET, said. He wrote in another.

These malicious apps – which can also be found on scam websites and in third-party app stores – masquerade “as legitimate personal loan services, promising quick and easy access to funds,” he explained.

However, once downloaded, these digital wolves in sheep's clothing install sophisticated malware that can “extract a wide range of personal information from unsuspecting users,” according to ESET.

The data that is often hijacked includes everything from account details to contact lists and even SMS messages.

ESET has since alerted Google of the presence of 18 such apps in its Play Store – with all but one removed because it is no longer considered a SpyLoan app.

Overall, these apps had more than 12 million downloads from Google Play before they were removed, ESET noted.

The 17 applications are:

aa credit

Omar Cash

Guayaba cash

EasyCredit

Casho

Credit Bus

FlashLoan

Prestamos Credito

Credit Loan-YumiCash

Go Credito

Instant offer

Grand Cartera

Fast credit

Finupp Lending

4S cash

Tru Neera

Easy Cash

Users who discover any of these apps on their phones should delete them immediately, before changing their device, financial account, and Wi-Fi passwords.

They should also pay attention to symptoms of a possible malware infection, including suspicious emails or alerts.

In the meantime, smartphone users should install antivirus software, keep up with phone updates, refrain from downloading apps from external sources and take other preventive measures against the risk of malware infection.