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Last Updated on March 24, 2021 by Calvin C.
Satori Threat and Intelligence Research is an organisation involved in making sure sure apps on Play Store are safe. In this article, we look at a list of apps removed from Play Store because of security and privacy issues.
Fraudulent apps on Play Store
According to a report released by Satori Threat and Intelligence Research, about 164 apps were axed from the Play Store after exhibiting fraudulent tactics.
Normally, on Play Store you should find genuine apps without any shady intentions.
However, you get developers who use a ‘bait and switch’ approach to trick you into downloading their apps before bombarding you with Ads.
These Ads tend to pose a privacy and security risk because:
- They slow down your device
- Some Ads may be inappropriate and out of context
- You may end up visiting malicious websites
- Too many Ads are displayed
One of the ways in which developers churn out many apps is by reskinning popular apps.
Play Store is less restrictive than App Store so many of these knock-offs slip through the cracks without being detected.
The goal of these fraudulent publishers is to make money, so once an app is downloaded, you get tonnes of Ads, thus messing up the user-experience.
These 164 apps were downloaded at least 10 million times and this shows that a significant number of users are yet to uninstall these apps.
In other words, you need to check if you have one of these apps.
- Before we dive into the list, make sure you stay safe on the internet by hiding your identity and encrypting your traffic using a VPN.
Our overall VPN of choice is NordVPN
Apps you should remove from your phone
If you have any of these apps installed in your phone, I advise you to uninstall them and use a genuine version.
| App | Package name | Downloads |
|---|---|---|
| 3D Photo Editor | com.vmins.frameefects | 50,000 |
| 3D Tattoo Photo Editor & Ideas | com.softwalk.threedtattoo | 10 |
| Applock 2020 – App Locker & privacy guard | com.applock.meetink | 1,000 |
| AppLock New 2019 – Privacy Zone & Lock your apps | com.padgamestd.applock | 1,000,000 |
| Assistive Touch 2020 | com.teen.asasitivetouch.easytouch | 10,000 |
| Audio Video Editor | audiochin.com.mp3.cutter.ringtone.video.maker.trimmer | 10,000 |
| Audio Video Mixer | ttpjsc.com.mp3.cutter.ringtone.video.maker.trimmer | 1,000 |
| Battery Saver Pro 2020 – New Power Saver | com.lastwod.battery.saver.ram.cleaner | 100,000 |
| Block Puzzle 102: New Tentris Mania | com.tetris.blockpuzzle3d | 1,000 |
| Chronometer | com.chronometer.gnuh | 10,000 |
| DJ Mixer Studio 2018 | com.master.djsona | 1,000,000 |
| GPS Speedometer | com.lissandras.telannasi.free | 100,000 |
| Graffiti Photo Editor – Graffiti Creator | com.popperx.graffitiphoto2020 | 500 |
| iSwipe Phone X | com.goldese.controlcenter | 5,000,000 |
| Lock app with Password – Applock All App Protector | com.tklinkst.applock | 100,000 |
| loudest alarm clock ever | com.loudultrasound.alarmclock | 10,000 |
| Lovedays Memory 2020 – Love Counter Together | com.go2counter.lovedays | 500 |
| Magnifier Zoom + Flashlight | kr.xmatools.magnifier | 100 |
| Max Cleaner – Speed Booster Pro 2021 | com.pipgami.phonecleaner | 100 |
| Motocross Racing 2018 | com.ganplank.motorracing | 10,000 |
| Name Art Photo Editor | com.binkai.heartnameart | 10,000 |
| Nox Cool Master – Cool Down 2020 | cooling.cleanox.phone.cooler | 1,000 |
| OS 13 Launcher – Phone 11 Pro Launcher | com.launcher.ios13.ip11usa | 50,000 |
| OS Launcher 12 for iPhone X | com.landroid.ios12.ios12us | 100,000 |
| Photo Editor Awesome Frame Effects 3D | com.pipgamiz.photoeditor | 1,000 |
| Rain Photo Maker – Rain Effect Editor | com.goldxia.raineffect | 10 |
| Repair System For Android & Speed Booster | systym.rypyir.fyx.opyryting.systym.pryblym | 100 |
| Ringtone maker – Mp3 cutter | com.xmwork.ringmaster.maker | 1,000,000 |
| Ringtone Maker Ultimate: New Mp3 Cutter | com.castofworld.ringtonemaker | 100,000 |
| Secure Gallery Vault: Photos, Videos Privacy Safe | com.kovelp.securegallery | 50,000 |
| Smart Cleaner-Battery Saver, Super Booster | com.cleaner2020.myphone.pro | 1,000 |
| Super Phone Cleaner 2020 | com.phonecludner.memorycxeener.fsxtcharging | 1,000 |
| Video Music Cutter & Merge Studio | com.macthink.musictrimmer.mp3ringtonecutter | 100,000 |
| WiFi File Transfer 2019 | wifi.transfer.pops | 500 |
| WiFi Key – Free Master WiFi | com.heimerdinger.wifi | 100,000 |
| WiFi Speed Test | pth.speedtest.PeaSoft | 500,000 |
| Wps Tester | com.veigar.dravenpthis | 500,000 |
| WPS WPA WiFi Test | com.vendra.ivernwpswpa | 100,000 |
| 100 mb Internet Speed Test – Broadband Speed Test | mb.speedtest.network | — |
| 2 Ways Call Recorder Automatic, Record Phone Calls | com.skud.callrecorder.test | — |
| 3D Awesome Frame Effects | com.gankmi.frameworkers | — |
| 3D Photo Frames Effects & 3D Art Photo Maker | com.photo_frame.frame_maker | — |
| Animals Sound Ringtones Real Free | com.mikjay.animalringtones | — |
| Anti WannaCry Virus – Android | com.neufapps.antiviruswannacry | — |
| Antivirus – Virus Remover | com.ceberusni.antivirus | — |
| Antivirus 2017 | com.goldmob.antivirus.security | — |
| Antivirus 2017 | com.mobileagency.xray | — |
| Antivirus 2017 | com.mobiquev.antivirus | — |
| Antivirus 2017 & Cleaner | com.antivirus.freecleaner0021 | — |
| Antivirus 2017 & Cleaner | com.avast.antiviru | — |
| Antivirus 2020, Cleaner & Booster | com.toodoo.smart.cleaner.pro.top2020.virus | — |
| Antivirus For Android | com.uranusmobile.antivirus | — |
| Antivirus Pro 2017 | com.se7en.antivirus | — |
| Assistive Touch 2018 | com.volibears.assistouch | — |
| Audio Video Editor Mixer 2019 – Video Cutter | macthinkbox.mp3audioeditor.videomixed | — |
| AV Antivirus 2017 | com.tonyinc.antivirus | — |
| Battery Doctor – Power Battery 2018 | com.tools.padbattery | — |
| Battery Doctor 2018 – Fast Charger | plutanio.fastcharger.batterysaver | — |
| Battery Saver – Fast Charging | com.batterylife.battery | — |
| Battery Saver – Saving Battry | com.Connon.batterysaver | — |
| Battery Saver Pro | com.enverall.phone.optimize.battery.fastcharging | — |
| BeanPro Antivirus | com.beanpronew.antivirus | — |
| Big Front – Change Front Size | com.bigfont.aether | — |
| boost clean (junk cleaner pro) | com.junk.cleaner.phone.boost.security.speed | — |
| Calculator | ltc.razarthur.android.calculator | — |
| Call Block Blacklist and Block SMS Easy | com.tklinkmast.callblacklist | — |
| Call Recorder For Android | com.zuka.callrecorder.voice | — |
| Chinese Chess | com.xinzhao.chinesechess | — |
| Clean My Android – Antivirus | com.antivirus.cours.faradd | — |
| cleaner booster -ultra security- | speed.cleaner.junk.phone.security.boost.cleaner | — |
| Collage Maker | photo.mnxmax.collagemakerpro | — |
| Control Center IOS 12 – Phone X Control Center | com.goldese.phonrcontrolcenter | — |
| Cool Master -CPU Device Cooler | com.ktopgames.coolmaster | — |
| Disk-clean-suite | com.avast.clean | — |
| Don’t Stop Eighth Note | com.cassiopei.shen | — |
| Don’t Stop Eighth Note | com.fizzgaren.ryze | — |
| Don’t Stop Eighth Note 2 | com.Dontstop.eightnote | — |
| Don’t Stop Eighth Note Zombie | com.appsleon.dontstop | — |
| Eighth Note | com.tryndamer.nami | — |
| Eighth Note V2 | com.EighthNote.new | — |
| Eighth Note: Yasuhati | com.khapkamer.kali | — |
| Fast Charger – Dr Battery 2017 | com.kenpasea.saver | — |
| Feeding Fish | com.tony.fishes | — |
| Followers – Unfollowers For Insta | app.draven.unfollow | — |
| free antivirus | com.ANTIVIRUSAPP.ANTIVIRUSAPP | — |
| Free Antivirus-Mobile Security | com.namiprotect.antivirus | — |
| Free VPN Proxy – Unlimited VPN & WiFi Security | free.vpnmaster.alistar.proxy.anand | — |
| Get Followers Up 2019 | com.followers.getfollowers.followersinsta | — |
| Get Followers Up 2020 | com.follower.getfollowers.followersinsta | — |
| GPS Navigation | com.nakrothtoro.malochgildurgps | — |
| Holy Bible | com.omisego.action | — |
| How Fast is My Internet – High Internet Speed Test | mz.speedtest.internet | — |
| Internet Speed Check 2019 | hp.tonyinc.speedmeter2018 | — |
| Internet Speed Test | hp.leesin.leblanc | — |
| Internet Speed Test | internet.speedtest.wifi.analyzer.morganas | — |
| Internet Speed Test APK | ayoub.dev.wifi | — |
| Internet Speed Test Free | hp.minigone.checkinterneto | — |
| Internet speedmeter check | speedmeter2018.internetanalytics.testwifi | — |
| K-Lock gallery picture & video | com.kenpazi.securegallery | — |
| Learn Excel 2019 | usapp.den.dendidotoversion | — |
| Learn Play Piano – Pianist | com.qjoker.renlpianotenshen | — |
| Lich Van Nien 2017 | jp.cotts.lichviet | — |
| Lịch Vạn Niên 2018 – Lịch Âm 2018 | lb.alice.lichviet | — |
| Lion Antivirus 2017 | techmob.lion.antivirus.security.freeantivirus | — |
| Loudest Volume Booster | annie.fiddlestick.execution | — |
| Love days counter | com.mloves.countdays | — |
| Male To Female Voice Changer | com.sunnyapp.voicechanger | — |
| Master Sudoku Offline Free 2018 | sdkpro.sudoku | — |
| Max Cleaner – Booster, Optimizer, Super Cleaner | com.max.booster.cleaner.phone.memory.pro | — |
| Memory Cleaner 2020 | com.beoszei.mazzer.czeanez.czean | — |
| Milab Music Player – All format audio files | com.minplayer.musicmp3ring | — |
| Mine Sweep – Free Miner Game | violet.rammus.quinn | — |
| Mp3 cutter – Video Cutter, Easy Ringtone Maker | com.photovideo.maker.video.trimmer.mp3.cutter.ringtone | — |
| MP3Cutter & Ringtone Maker 2020 | com.rekcos.ringtonemaker | — |
| New Full Battery Saver – Battery Manager & Cleaner | com.drbattery.battery.saver.ram.cleaner | — |
| Night Mode | com.morgana.nightscreen | — |
| Old Phone Ringtones | com.ringtones2018.annie.alarms | — |
| Optimiser Pro Cleaner Booster | com.obtimizersupercleaner.antivirus | — |
| Phone Booster | goldmast.lovefaster.speedcleaner | — |
| Phone Cleaner – Speed Booster | nightcopo.cleanspeed.cleanjunk | — |
| Phone Cooler – Cooling Master | com.ritamobile.cooldownphone.cpucooler | — |
| Photo Editor | com.beststudian.photocollage | — |
| Photo Frame Effects 3D | com.kenpasx.framephotox | — |
| QR Code Scanner – QR Reader | com.Mobinet.scan | — |
| Quick Ball | com.goldenwd.assistouch | — |
| Quick Photo Square – Insta Emoji 2019 | com.kinvkep.instasquareemojisticker | — |
| Recovery all photo deleted | com.vttl.app7.restoreimages | — |
| Scream Go – Eighth Note T-Rex | com.dotsgame.eighthnote | — |
| Secret Lock | com.goldmast.applock | — |
| Security Pro | com.hilas.forsecuritypro | — |
| Simple App Lock | com.zooinc.applock | — |
| Smadav antivirus 2017 | com.smailapps.antivirus | — |
| Smadav antivirus for android 2018 | com.smallapp.antivirus | — |
| Smadav pro Total security | com.smartbapp.antivirus | — |
| Sound Meter | com.yornstone.mina | — |
| Speed Test Internet – Speed Check | hp.plutini.speedico | — |
| speedtest net app | inter.speed.test | — |
| Sudoku 2 | hp.sudoku | — |
| Sudoku Basic For Beginners 2019 | gemosm.sudoku | — |
| Super Antivirus Cleaner 2020 | com.jaybox.cleaner.security | — |
| Super Cleaner – Phone Cache Cleaner, RAM Booster | com.cleanbooster.ducleanerjungle.phonepro.info | — |
| Super Loud Alarm Clock | karthus.warhamme | — |
| Super Loud Volume Booster | com.veerajax.volumebooster | — |
| Super WiFi Rounter – Who Is On My WiFi | com.whenanalyzer.speedtxts.wifireuter.wifibeoster | — |
| Super WiFi Rounter – Who Is On My WiFi | com.wifibestusas.speedusas.wifibester.wifibestusa | — |
| TV Antivirus Free + Applock | toto.prosecurity | — |
| Ultra Cleaner 2018 | com.anti.antianti | — |
| Unfollowers & Ghost Followers For Insta | lux.elixir.unfollow | — |
| Virus Cleaner – Antivirus 2018 | jems.antivirus.security | — |
| VPN Unlimited Proxy – Super VPN For Android | free.vpnmaster.leBlanc.proxy.anand | — |
| WiFi Toolbox | net.appstyl.wifi.booster.analyzer | — |
| WPS Tester | com.veigar.ivernwpswpa | — |
| انفالوياب اينستاگرام | instapersan.youch.unfollow | — |
| — | com.adrocklink.batterysaveras | — |
| — | com.maloch.colorballsnbl | — |
| — | com.miyoo.miyoubaidian | — |
| — | com.vttl.app7.restoreimaget | — |
| — | com.xmwork.ringmaster.makes | — |
| — | elphitamine.controlcenter | — |
| — | free.vpn.super.proxy.anou | — |
| — | hp.toolbox.speed | — |
| — | lulu.drmundow2017 | — |
| — | speed2018.mohamad.alyousef |
Source: whiteopss.com (Visit link for full details)
Conclusion
Make sure you download genuine apps from the original developer and avoid copycats.
The impact may not be obvious, but when fraudsters combine thousands or even millions of downloads, the gains add up.
As mobile devices get smarter and smarter each year, they become easy targets of cyberattacks.
VPN services are there to protect you on the internet and similarly, you need to avoid dubious free VPN services.
At a glance, these are the top VPN services:
Do you have any experience with fraudulent apps? Share with the community below and let your friends know about the post on social media.
