Government has important guidelines for Mobile App scams: What is it, tips to stay safe and more

Scam

Mobile app scams are one of the most common scams that attackers and scammers use to target their customers. This scam can do a lot more than just monitoring your activities and stealing personal information. The wider application of such scams is to steal sensitive information such as banking details, login credentials, etc.

In this guide, we will explain the fundamentals of mobile application scams, how they work and some tips that the government has shared to stay protected.

What is Mobile app scam and how it works

Mobile app scam, as mentioned, is malware-affected app that is designed to steam your data, and login credentials and even auto-subscribe to premium services. These apps are installed by various means like random links that you’ve received or even from third-party installs that users do to bypass subscriptions or gain additional features to improve the app’s functionality.

As far as its functionality is concerned. Scammers use social engineering techniques to make users want to install third-party applications on their smartphones. That’s just one part of it. There are websites that offer mod apps which can also contain malware to weaken the device’s security. These mod apps usually offer premium features that are restricted under the paywall from the developers. These apps claim to offer these features by simply installing the app.

Once the infected app is installed on the phone, it automatically takes control of several data and details that users have stored on their phones. This data gets transferred to the scammers and then they use it to steal money and conduct other types of scams.

Tips to stay protected

CERT-In or Indian Computer Emergency Response Team has issued some guidelines that users can follow to stay protected from mobile app scams.

Enable Play Protect feature in Play Store: Google Play Store comes with a built-in malware scanner tool that automatically scams apps from malicious activities. Use the tool to check if the app is safe or not.

Download apps from trusted sources: It is important to download the apps from trusted storefronts like Google Play Store or authentic websites.

Don’t download apps from SMS or email: It is advisable to avoid downloading apps from the links shared over SMS or email or social media platforms.

Watch the review: All the apps that are available on Google Play Store have reviews. Read some of them to know if there’s something wrong with the app. You can also check the overall rating of the app.