- Google has removed eight fake cryptocurrency mining apps designed to mislead innocent users.
- These apps had in-app purchases ranging from $14.99 to $189.99.
- According to security research firm
Trend Micro , there are over 120 fake cryptocurrency mining apps still available online.
Google has identified eight such dangerous $4 on the Play Store and banned them. These apps were designed to lure innocent and unsuspecting users into installing them on their phones. These apps employed the usual “$4” scheme to lure users into investing money in a ‘cloud mining service’ and reaping profits.
“Despite these apps not being associated with cloud-mining operations or having any $4 features, some of these apps prompt users to pay for increased cryptocurrency-mining capabilities via the apps’ in-app billing systems that range from $14.99 to as high as $189.99,” the Trend Micro $4 said.
According to an analysis by security firm Trend Micro, the eight banned apps forced users to watch advertisements and have an average monthly fee of $115 (approx. ₹1,114). These apps also suggested to users that they could pay for increased mining ability by buying their favourite crypto “machines” in the cloud.
“The app called Daily Bitcoin Rewards – Cloud Based Mining System prompts its users to upgrade their crypto mining capacity by “buying” their favourite mining machines to earn more coins at a faster rate," the report further added.
The eight apps banned by Google are:
- BitFunds – Crypto Cloud Mining
- Bitcoin Miner – Cloud Mining
- Bitcoin (BTC) – Pool Mining Cloud Wallet
- Crypto Holic – Bitcoin Cloud Mining
- Daily Bitcoin Rewards – Cloud Based Mining System
- Bitcoin 2021
- MineBit Pro - Crypto Cloud Mining & btc miner
- Ethereum (ETH) - Pool Mining Cloud
If you have any of these apps installed on your phone, it is advised that you uninstall them. To do so, go into Settings -> Apps and then, tap on the app’s name and select ‘Uninstall’.
SEE ALSO:
$4
$4
Clubhouse removes personal information from Afghan users' accounts for safety>$4