Smartphone users warned to delete these 17 dangerous apps before it’s too late (2024)

Published Jan. 2, 2024, 3:00 p.m. ET

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.

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.

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.”

Smartphone users warned to delete these 17 dangerous apps before it’s too late (1)

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 apps are:

AA Kredit
Amor Cash
GuayabaCash
EasyCredit
Cashwow
CrediBus

FlashLoan
PréstamosCrédito
Préstamos De Crédito-YumiCash
Go Crédito
Instantáneo Préstamo
Cartera grande

Smartphone users warned to delete these 17 dangerous apps before it’s too late (2)

Rápido Crédito
Finupp Lending
4S Cash
TrueNaira
EasyCash

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.