Millions of Android phones have apps set to quietly charge you £150 – delete them NOW
ANDROID users are being warned by experts about a number of apps on the Google Play Store that could be charging you a lot of money after the 'free trial period' is over.
The apps, which are said to have tens of millions of installs, are reportedly taking advantage of a loophole allowing developers to charge over £150 when the free trial is up.
Researchers at have made the shocking claims about the apps and what they refer to as "unscrupulous publishers".
They said that a business model within the Google Play Market is being exploited.
This loophole allows developers to charge after the free trial “if the user hasn’t both uninstalled the application and informed the developer.”
Sophos found that the apps weren't installing any malware but are taking a lot of money for simple offerings like photo filters or barcode readers.
The apps to watch out for
The following are the package names of the apps that have come under fire...
- qr.code.barcode.maker.scanner.reader – installed by over 5,000,000 and cost €104.99 (£90) after the free trial ended
- faceapp.facemystery.learnmoreaboutyourself – installed by over 10,000,000 and cost €104.99 (£90) after the free trial ended
- com.recorder.video.magic.capture.gameplay – installed by over 5,000,000 and cost €104.99 (£90) after the free trial ended
- com.ally.video.recorder – installed by over 5,000 and cost €114.99 (£98) after the free trial ended
- com.pey.old.me.face.aging – installed by over 50,000 and cost €104.99 (£90) after the free trial ended
- com.gifmaker.giffree.gifeditor – installed by over 5,000 and cost €219.99 (£188) after the free trial ended
- com.hidephotovideo.calculatorphotovault – installed by over 1,000 and cost €104.99 (£90) after the free trial ended
- com.compasspro.gpscoordinates – installed by over 10,000 and cost €219.99 (£188) after the free trial ended
- com.searchbyimage.reverseimagesearch – installed by over 10,000 and cost €219.99 (£188) after the free trial ended
Sophos is referring to the app scam as "fleeceware" because it's technically a grey area in the Play Market model and not outright fraud.
It relies on users being complacence without the apps they're downloading and not checking what they're being charged.
We reached out to Google for comment on whether the large monthly subscriptions violate its in-app purchasing policies.
It told us that it was investigating and that Google does have strict policies around deceptive or misleading forms of payment.
A spokesperson said that action would be taken against any apps that break the rules.
Sophos said that 14 of the 15 apps that it reported to Google have now been removed.
However, it said “a subsequent search revealed another batch of apps” that were skirting the rules and charging a lot.
The researchers said that the scammer developers “seem to be very good at staying under the radar.”
The apps involved appear innocent and include photo editors, GIF tools and calculators.
In most cases, the free trial period for the app was short.
Jagadeesh Chandraiah, a reporter for SophosLabs, : "In the case of one QR code reader app, the developer charges users €104.99 after 72 hours, while the makers of Professional GIF Maker charge users €214.99.
"We haven’t seen apps sold at this price before."
How to check your app subscriptions on an Android phone
Then, tap Payments & subscriptions.
Next, click Manage purchases, Manage reservations, or Manage subscriptions.
To see more details, select an app.
Then, you can take actions, like tracking a delivery, cancelling a reservation or renewing a subscription.
It's important to try and not give payment details or permission to a basic app that you're unlikely to use or keep and be vigilant about checking for any hidden costs.
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Do you have any of these apps on your phone? Let us know in the comments...
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