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Check your apps: Android Trojan secretly signs you up for subscription payments
- A newly discovered Android Trojan known as “GriftHorse” probably made away with millions of dollars.
- The Trojan asks you to enter your phone number to win a prize. That “prize” is a recurring subscription to a useless service.
- We have a list of known infected apps. If you have any of them, you should uninstall them as soon as possible.
One of the most effective ways to “hack” someone isn’t to steal their information or take over their device. Social engineering is one of the easiest and sometimes most efficient ways to get people to do something for you.
See also: The best security apps for Android that aren’t anti-virus apps
A new Android Trojan known as “GriftHorse” did just that (via Zimperium). It tricks people into unwittingly subscribing to a recurring payment. If left unchecked, it could have potentially stolen hundreds of dollars from victims so far.
The Trojan is confirmed to have been found in over 100 Android apps. These apps appeared on the Google Play Store as well as multiple third-party platforms. Google has confirmed that the infected apps are already gone from the Play Store, but third-party platforms could still host them. Likewise, these apps could still be on your phone if you downloaded one.
See below for how GriftHorse works and the apps you should uninstall.
What GriftHorse looks like
Above, you can see a screenshot of the “hook” to the GriftHorse Trojan. The free gift promoted by that notification takes you to a website that asks for your phone number. Ostensibly, entering your phone number is to verify your identity so you can claim the prize.
However, unbeknownst to victims, entering your phone number really signs you up for a recurring subscription fee for a bogus service. The monthly fee (which lands in different currencies depending on the user’s location) amounts to about $36 each month.
Unwitting victims think they are winning a prize, but are really getting bogus charges to their phone bill.
This charge doesn’t need a credit card. Instead, it’s an SMS-based subscription service, so your carrier gets the charges and passes them onto you through your monthly bill. If you don’t check your bill regularly, this charge could have happened multiple times.
GriftHorse is thought to have been active since November 2020. Ostensibly, that means victims could have lost up to $400 if they were one of the first infections. Judging from the scale of this Trojan, the criminals behind it likely have already made millions of dollars.
You can see a full rundown of how GriftHorse works in very technical detail here. For everyone else, be sure to uninstall any of the apps below.
Apps you should uninstall
- Handy Translator Pro
- Heart Rate and Pulse Tracker
- Geospot: GPS Location Tracker
- iCare – Find Location
- My Chat Translator
- Bus – Metrolis 2021
- Free Translator Photo
- Locker Tool
- Fingerprint Changer
- Call Recoder Pro
- Instant Speech Translation
- Racers Car Driver
- Slime Simulator
- Keyboard Themes
- What’s Me Sticker
- Amazing Video Editor
- Safe Lock
- Heart Rhythm
- Smart Spot Locator
- CutCut Pro
- OFFRoaders – Survive
- Phone Finder by Clapping
- Bus Driving Simulator
- Fingerprint Defender
- Lifeel – scan and test
- Launcher iOS 15
- Idle Gun Tycoo\u202an\u202c
- Scanner App Scan Docs & Notes
- Chat Translator All Messengers
- Hunt Contact
- Icony
- Horoscope : Fortune
- Fitness Point
- Qibla AR Pro
- Heart Rate and Meal Tracker
- Mine Easy Translator
- PhoneControl Block Spam Calls
- Parallax paper 3D
- SnapLens – Photo Translator
- Qibla Pass Direction
- Caller-x
- Clap
- Photo Effect Pro
- iConnected Tracker
- Smart Call Recorder
- Daily Horoscope & Life Palmestry
- Qibla Compass (Kaaba Locator)
- Prookie-Cartoon Photo Editor
- Qibla Ultimate
- Truck – RoudDrive Offroad
- GPS Phone Tracker – Family Locator
- Call Recorder iCall
- PikCho Editor app
- Street Cars: pro Racing
- Cinema Hall: Free HD Movies
- Live Wallpaper & Background
- Intelligent Translator Pro
- Face Analyzer
- TrueCaller (NOT Truecaller, by True Software Scandinavia AB)
- TrueRecoder
- iTranslator_ Text & Voice & Photo
- Pulse App – Heart Rate Monitor
- Video & Photo Recovery Manager 2
- Быстрые кредиты 24\7
- Fitness Trainer
- ClipBuddy
- Vector arts
- Ludo Speak v2.0
- Battery Live Wallpaper 4K
- Heart Rate Pro Health Monitor
- Locatoria – Find Location
- GetContacter
- Photo Lab
- AR Phone Booster – Battery Saver
- English Arabic Translator direct
- VPN Zone – Fast & Easy Proxy
- 100% Projector for Mobile Phone
- Forza H Mobile 4 Ultimate Edition
- Amazing Sticky Slime Simulator ASMR\u200f
- Clap To Find My Phone
- Screen Mirroring TV Cast
- Free Calls WorldWide
- My Locator Plus
- iSalam Qibla Compass
- Language Translator-Easy&Fast
- WiFi Unlock Password Pro X
- Pony Video Chat-Live Stream
- Zodiac : Hand
- Ludo Game Classic
- Loca – Find Location
- Easy TV Show
- Qibla correct Quran Coran Koran
- Dating App – Sweet Meet
- R Circle – Location Finder
- TagsContact
- Ela-Salaty: Muslim Prayer Times & Qibla Direction
- Qibla Compass
- Soul Scanner – Check Your
- CIAO – Live Video Chat
- Plant Camera Identifier
- Color Call Changer
- Squishy and Pop it
- Keyboard: Virtual Projector App
- Scanner Pro App: PDF Document
- QR Reader Pro
- FX Keyboard
- You Frame
- Call Record Pro
- Free Islamic Stickers 2021
- QR Code Reader – Barcode Scanner
- Bag X-Ray 100% Scanner
- Phone Caller Screen 2021
- Translate It – Online App
- Mobile Things Finder
- Proof-Caller
- Phone Search by Clap
- Second Translate PRO
- CallerID
- 3D Camera To Plan
- Qibla Finder – Qibla Direction
- Stickers Maker for WhatsApp
- Qibla direction watch (compass)
- Piano Bot Easy Lessons
- CallHelp: Second Phone Number
- FastPulse – Heart Rate Monitor
- Caller ID & Spam Blocker
- Free Coupons 2021
- KFC Saudi – Get free delivery and 50% off coupons
- Skycoach
- HOO Live – Meet and Chat
- Easy Bass Booster
- Coupons & Gifts: InstaShop
- FindContact
- Launcher iOS for Android
- Call Blocker-Spam Call Blocker
- Live Mobile Number Tracker