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If you are an Android user who is trying to download cryptocurrency applications, pay attention to the developers of malicious applications that disguise themselves from legitimate sources.
Tricksters are exploiting the cryptocurrency hype, especially among amateurs who want to keep some bullish tokens. In one of these malicious attempts, a company with a catchy name of Google Commerce Ltd has stolen more than $ 388,000 from its users, The Next Web reports. The company sold its Android app for $ 388 per download while claiming to provide downloaders with 1 Ethreum token in return. Users, however, received an image – that of Ethereum.
More than 100 people have installed the application from the Google Play Store since its last update on August 14, 2017. It is clear that Google Commerce Ltd was a farce, and it went unnoticed for too long even after playing the system. Only after the news came to light, Play Store removed the app.
It would appear that Google Play Protect, Google's integrated anti-malware protection for Android, could not detect an application that was neither a clone nor looking for user login credentials. The attack point occurred when users decided to pay the Ethereum fake app willingly. In a fun way, Google Play Store must have received payments from Google Commerce Ltd all this time.
Give Android users additional questions about Google's inability to prevent these apps from being listed on the Play Store in the first place. The technology giant is already solving part of the big problem by banning cryptocurrency mining apps. However, as reported by the Next Web, a mining app with the name JSEcoin passed through Google's defense and arrived at the Play Store.
If the cryptocurrencies were removed from the context, Google showed rigor by removing over 70,000 apps in 2017, marking a 70% increase compared to the previous year. Most of the banned apps contained offensive content, including child pornography.
Cryptocurrency Mobile scams continue at loom
Cyber-criminals are always looking for potential victims to put their fingers on all their virtual coins. In recent years, Google Play has discovered app impersonated by famous cryptocurrency and cryptocurrency exchange companies and apps that install malware directly to make victims call their secret cryptocurrency mining lab.
The problem lies in the fact that even after being removed from the list these apps reemerge frequently. For that logic, seeing a simulta false Ethereum app listed on the Play Store should not be surprising.
Close-up image of Shutterstock.
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