Smartphone users warned to delete these 17 dangerous apps before it’s too late

Tech-sperts are warning smartphone users to delete 17 popular finance apps that have been found to be infected with malware.

Tech-sperts are warning smartphone users to delete 17 popular finance apps that have been found to be infected with malware. Picture: Supplied

Here’s how to avoid an app-ocalypse.

Tech-sperts are warning smartphone users to delete 17 popular finance apps that have been found to be infected with malware.

These digital Trojan horses have the potential to steal sensitive data from your phone, such as financial information, reports the New York Post.

Known as SpyLoan apps, these problematic apps have been prevalent in Google’s Play Store — and some have been discovered in Apple’s App Store as well, Forbes reported last month.

“Since the beginning of 2023, [our] researchers have observed an alarming growth of deceptive Android loan apps,” Lukas Stefanko, of the cybersecurity firm ESET, wrote in a post.

Tech-sperts are warning smartphone users to delete 17 popular finance apps that have been found to be infected with malware. Picture: Supplied

He explained that these insidious 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.”

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,” per ESET.

Oft-hijacked data includes everything from account details to contact lists and even SMS texts.

ESET has since alerted Google to 18 such apps in its Play Store — with all but one removed because it’s no longer deemed a SpyLoan app.

Overall, these apps generated more than 12 million downloads from Google Play before their removal, ESET noted.

The 17 finance apps to delete from your smartphone are:

1. AA Kredit
2. Amor Cash
3. GuayabaCash
4. EasyCredit
5. Cashwow
6. CrediBus
7. FlashLoan
8. PréstamosCrédito
9. Préstamos De Crédito-YumiCash
10. Go Crédito
11. Instantáneo Préstamo
12. Cartera grande
13. Rápido Crédito
14. Finupp Lending
15. 4S Cash
16. TrueNaira
17. EasyCash

SpyLoan apps hijack users’ info under the guise of providing them quick and easy access to funds. Picture: istock

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

They should also be on the lookout for symptoms of a potential 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 third-party sources, and take other protective measures against the risk of contracting malware.

This article originally appeared on the New York Post and was reproduced with permission.

Originally published as Smartphone users warned to delete these 17 dangerous apps before it’s too late