Google has been pretty responsible in protecting user data lately and following up with its policies, it is deleting all the malware filled beauty apps from the Play Store. So, some of your favorite filters might have been deceiving you till now.
This time around 29 camera filter apps have been found carrying malware of highest level on the Google Play Store. The security firm, Trend Micro, which helped Google in identifying such apps also told that majority of these were being used in Asia to improve the selfies and edit photos in general.
To prove this, it has been observed that such apps show full screen ads when the users unlock their phones. As soon as you tap on the ad, it directs you to a link to download an online porn player, for which some payment has to be made. However, the player didn’t work even after paying as per the ad’s demands.
On another occasion users also saw their apps trying certain ways to get personal information from them. Two of the most common tricks included a rigged contest, which lets the device owner win every time so that when a user claims for the prize, the developers could ask for the desired personal information. The other trick was to make users upload the picture to the developer’s server for editing. But that was again a fraud as users in return only received a fake update shown up in nine languages. Some of the uploaded photos were also later seen on fake social media accounts.
Related: Android apps dealing with unwarranted substances will be banned by Google Play StoreEven if you have downloaded any such app by mistake, then delete it as soon as possible. And in case if you still can’t post your pictures or selfies without filters, then look for apps that are more authentic and have good reviews. But don't worry, Google has still got your back.
Featured Photo: Jaap Arriens / NurPhoto / Getty Images
