Android users are being warned about a fake app that was housed on the Google Play Store which tries to scam users out of pocket.
Android is one of the most used pieces of software in the world, with over two billion devices running the Google OS each and every month.
But the widely-used OS has been targeted by a number of major security threats that tend to be spread via fake Google Play Store Android apps.
Recently Android fans were warned about six malware-filled Android apps that were housed on the Google Play Store which were downloaded 90million times.
While another recent threat saw 50 malware-filled apps on the Google Play Store infect over 30million Android devices.
And now Android fans are being warned about a fake app that was located on the Google Play Store which aims to steal their hard-earned money.
Security experts at ESET have warned Android users about two fake apps that are aimed at cryptocurrency investors.
The first app impersonated Trezor, which is a cryptocurrency wallet.
As ESET researchers noted in a post online, the fake app “appeared trustworthy” in its Google Play Store listing.
It also appeared as the second result in the Play Store for ‘Trezor’ when ESET researchers searched for the term.
However, after installing the app something fishy occurs.
After installing it on an Android device the icon for the ‘Trezor Wallet’ app appears different to the one shown on the Google Play Store.
The icon is for an app called ‘Coin Wallet’, which also has a listing on the Google Play Store.
When this app is launched it simply displays a generic login screen with no mention of Trezor.
ESET noted this is a way for the app to phish for sensitive login details and steal them.
The Coin Wallet app itself, which had a Google Play Store listing, claims to let users create wallets for various cryptocurrencies.
But as ESET researcher Lukas Stefanko explains: “Its actual purpose is to trick users into transferring cryptocurrency into the attackers’ wallets – a classic case of what we named wallet address scams in our previous research of cryptocurrency-targeting malware.
“How this works is that the app pretends to generate a unique wallet address where users can transfer their coins.
“In reality, this address belongs to the attackers’ wallet, as only they have the private key necessary for accessing the funds.
“The attackers have one wallet for each supported cryptocurrency – 13 wallets altogether – and all victims with any specific targeted cryptocurrency are given the same wallet address.”
ESET informed Google about the offending apps, which have now been removed from the Google Play Store.
But advising Android fans on how to stay safe, Stefanko said users of the Google mobile OS should…
• Only trust cryptocurrency-related and other finance apps if they are linked from the official website of the service
• Only enter your sensitive information into online forms if you are certain of their security and legitimacy
• Keep your device updated
• Use a reputable mobile security solution to block and remove threats
– Stay tuned to Express.co.uk for more Android news