Google has removed a total of 152 apps from its play store for its involvement in an SMS scam. These 151 scam apps have been downloaded over 10.5 million times in more than 80 different countries. Avast discovered that once the apps are installed on a user's phone, the phone's location, International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI), and phone number are checked to discover the area code and language to use. Then it will prompt the user to provide their phone number and sometimes their email address, too. This information is then used to subscribe the user to premium SMS services without them realizing. The charges are typically $40 or more a month and it can take weeks or months for a user to realize.

Once an UltimaSMS app has achieved its goal, it either stops working or offers more subscription options rather than the promised functionality it was downloaded for. The problem is, even if a user uninstalls the app at this point the premium subscriptions will continue to take money from their accounts.

List Of Apps Removed From Google Play Store
AIM PRO Helper and Custom Crosshair
All HD Video SX - Smart Player
All Language Photo and Voice Translator
AI
All Translator: Photo, Voice & Text
AmazeTranslate
Amazing Arab Videos
Amore Live Random Chat
Ano caller: Spam List & Caller ID AppLock X FREE
AppLocker X Pro 2021
AR Qibla Easy Finder Pro
AR Video PRO Downloader
Arabic Keyboard
Battery Animation Charge 2021
Battery Charging Effects: From 0 to 100%
Call Voice Recording 2.0
Calls ID Unlocker
Camera Translator
Cartoon Photo Editor Pro
Chat Keyboard Translator PRO
Chat Translator for WhatsApp
Chat Translator Pro for WhatsApp
Clap and Find
Cold Fan Free 2021
Colorful Call Screen & Phone Flash
CosmosVPN
Couch Watcher - Guide of Streaming
Crime City: Revenge
DiskRecover: Photo & Files Recovery
Downloader ALL Social file
Dynamic HD & 4K Wallpapers
Earth Scanner
Easy Chat Translator for WhatsApp
Easy Chat Translator: All Language
Easy Hidden Apps Detector
Easy iOS Launcher 2021
Easy Photo Recovery 2021
Easy Smart Translator Pro
Easy Wifi Access & Fast Vpn
EasyCode: QR and Barcode Scanner
Egyptian Gods
Fast Dates Chat
Fingerprint Hider 2021
Fitness Ultimate 2021
Football Masters 2021
ForMuslims
Free Launcher X Pro
Free Secret Downloader
Future AI Scan Free 2021
Future Scanner FREE 2021
FX Animate Editor Pro
Game Center: Complete Edition
GT Sports Racing Online
Hacker Simulator App
HDlife Camera and Video
Hidden Section: Secret Lock
ICall U - Online Video Hotchat
iDownloader: Social Network Media
inpulse - DJ Mix App
iOS Launcher X 2021
LED Border
Likes & Followers for Tik-Tok
Live Cam Pro 2021: Earth cam & Live
Street View
LivePhoto Animator
Loopy Live: Global Streaming Video Chat
Luck Casino
Ludo Masterpiece Online
Ludo Masters 2021
Magic Fonts and Keyboard 2021
Magic Keyboards and Fonts
Magic Mix Cut - Super Video Editor
Magic Pop It: AR & 3D Relax
Make Wallpaper and Widget
Mawlid An-Nabi
Mawlid An-Nabi
Meme Voice Changer PRO
MiaWall4K
Mobile Scanner Pro: PDF Scanner App, Scan
to PDF
Muslim Memoji & Stickers for Whatsapp
Muslim Stickers and Memoji for WhatsApp
My Mia 4K Wallpapers
My Photo Battery Charging 2021
My Rolling Icons
New Body Shape Editor
NewVision Camera
NOWDownloader and Private Apps
Parallels - Multi Accounts
Phone Finder
Photellon
Photo & Voice Translator
Photo Animation PRO
PhotoLab Pro +
Photoshop Detector
Pixelize Art
Pixler: Face Retouch & Effects
Pro Calls Recorder
Pro Tuber Ad Blocker for Video
Pro Video Downloader 2021
Professional Hidden Device Detector
Projector HD/AR Video Editor
Projector video HD Editor
Pulse Rate Checker
Pure Tube PRO: Block Video Ads
Qibla Finder: Qibla Compass & Prayer
Times 2021
Rainbowed: Gay Random chat & Live
stream
Rec Old File
Recovery Old Photo
Reface Ultra
RGB Neon HD Keyboard Background
Roll Your Icons
Rubic's Cube: Real Time Solver
SecVPN: Fast and Secure VPN
Smart City Taxi
Smart Global Translator
Soltpapers: 4K Custom Wallpapers
Spam Calls Buster
StarMaker PRO
Stay Fit: Home Fitness Plan
Stickers Maker ART
Stickers Up!
Teammate Finder
ToEdit: Body and Face Retouch
Truck Driver Simulation
TrueCaller ID: Caller ID, Spam Block and Chat (Note: This is not the legit Truecaller from True Software Scandinavia AB.)
Ultima Keyboard 3D Pro
Ultra Camera HD
Ultra Live Wallpapers 4Κ and Ringtones
Video Downloader Master
Video Saver & Private Browser
VideoMixer Editor Pro
VidMixer Pro
VPN Fastest Edition
VPN Toaster: Easy Network Access
Wallpaper Anime for Android
Wallpaper XYZ Pro
Wally4K
Waterdrinker Reminder
Whistle Phone Finder
WhoCall Caller ID and Spam Blocker
Whos Called: Multi-SIM Caller ID and
SpamBlock
Wi - Fi Holder
Wi-Fi Around: All Wi-Fi and Hotspots
Unlock
Wi-Fi Opensignal
Wi-Fi Password Unlock
Wi-Fi Secret Master
Wi-Fi Security and VPN
WI-FI Unlock Password
WI-FI UnlockerPRO
WOX - Antivirus & Cleaner, Applock,
Booster
XCall
XN Wallpapers: 4K/3D/Parallax, Auto
Changer
Source: https://www.gizmoreel.com/152-apps-removed-from-google-play-store-due-to-sms-scam/

I'm not seeing those mangy loan apps

Udo di

jericco1:
I'm not seeing those mangy loan apps

Exactly

Serious matters.... Na wa ooo

Very good...

Was wondering how Google could hav allowed such discrepancies for so long

Bettrr

Dubious people everywhere

Good one Google... Enaira nko

None of them dey my phone.

Authoreety:
Very good...

Was wondering how Google could hav allowed such discrepancies for so long

They needed the money...

Is it the network provider that will convert the SMS into cash and remit to the app owners?I don't get.

Good day nairalanders
Many Nigerians don't like to share knowledge, you will tell them you have a laptop and Android phone but don't know how to make money with it and they will be like "You mean you have a working laptop and a phone and you are not monetizing it?, Guy u de fvck up o"
I will tell them to teach me how to do it and they will promise to let me know but give me excuses till I am tired...

I'm sad inside because I have been looking for ways to make money online despite the fact that I have a laptop and Android phone at my disposal...
Nairalanders please help me with suggestions, I am currently jobless and just staying at home doing nothing... cry cry

FahBuLous:
Good day nairalanders
Many Nigerians don't like to share knowledge, you will tell them you have a laptop and Android phone but don't know how to make money with it and they will be like "You mean you have a working laptop and a phone and you are not monetizing it?, Guy u de fvck up o"
I will tell them to teach me how to do it and they will promise to let me know but give me excuses till I am tired...

I'm sad inside because I have been looking for ways to make money online despite the fact that I have a laptop and Android phone at my disposal...
Nairalanders please help me with suggestions, I am currently jobless and just staying at home doing nothing... cry cry

If you find, biko carry me along

Get New updates here

FahBuLous:
Good day nairalanders
Many Nigerians don't like to share knowledge, you will tell them you have a laptop and Android phone but don't know how to make money with it and they will be like "You mean you have a working laptop and a phone and you are not monetizing it?, Guy u de fvck up o"
I will tell them to teach me how to do it and they will promise to let me know but give me excuses till I am tired...

I'm sad inside because I have been looking for ways to make money online despite the fact that I have a laptop and Android phone at my disposal...
Nairalanders please help me with suggestions, I am currently jobless and just staying at home doing nothing... cry cry

First off, you need to know your strengths if you decide to earn online.

You need skills to make money online, it can. Be photo editing, graphic design, video editing, search engine optimization, digital marketing, e-commerce website development etc.

Use glo to access night data..it's N50 for unlimited YouTube access from 12 - 5am.

search, Follow and subscribe on YouTube this popular tech channel "websitelearners"...you'd learn a lot from there more than you ever did in the four walls of a classroom.

The future is tech, don't sleep on it.

You need lots of data, food and zeal to learn for 6 months consistently...after you must have mastered the skill, go to LinkedIn and craft a good profile.

Go to enhancecv.com and build your resume.

Look for fellow skillsets specialists within your chosen field, introduce yourself and tell them you'd like to work on some projects with them for free so you can build your portfolio from there.

Create a paypal account, sign up on freelance sites where you can get remote work (US, Canada, Australia, Estonia, Germany), you can earn as much as $20 per gig daily as a beginner.

ecomalchemist:


First off, you need to know your strengths if you decide to earn online.

You need skills to make money online, it can. Be photo editing, graphic design, video editing, search engine optimization, digital marketing, e-commerce website development etc.

Use glo to access night data..it's N50 for unlimited YouTube access from 12 - 5am.

search, Follow and subscribe on YouTube this popular tech channel "websitelearners"...you'd learn a lot from there more than you ever did in the four walls of a classroom.

The future is tech, don't sleep on it.

You need lots of data, food and zeal to learn for 6 months consistently...after you must have mastered the skill, go to LinkedIn and craft a good profile.

Go to enhancecv.com and build your resume.

Look for fellow skillsets specialists within your chosen field, introduce yourself and tell them you'd like to work on some projects with them for free so you can build your portfolio from there.

Create a paypal account, sign up on freelance sites where you can get remote work (US, Canada, Australia, Estonia, Germany), you can earn as much as $20 per gig daily as a beginner.

Thank u very much for this... I really appreciate...
But what skill would you recommend for a beginner that doesn't have much idea about tech...

FahBuLous:
Thank u very much for this... I really appreciate...
But what skill would you recommend for a beginner that doesn't have much idea about tech...

Video Editing, photo editing, UI / UX, graphic design...

You have to know where your interest lies...

From there, you can move to digital marketing and Search Engine Optimization.

Learn on YouTube, don't pay for any course just yet until you have watched over 50 videos and practiced.

No be small thing, good thing is none of this apps dey my phone. Btw, have you experienced the new Oraimo Freepod 3? It's relatively cheaper and offers so many amazing features anyone would love in an earbud.