Careful! Premium SMS Scam App Floods Google Play Store

JAKARTA - Once again, Google's online store, the Play Store, is flooded with fraudulent applications that secretly turn users into Premium SMS services.

This incident was first noticed by security firm Avast, who discovered the app dubbed UltimaSMS. According to Avast researchers, the app has been downloaded more than 10 million times.

Of course the victims don't know that, and it can hurt those who don't get anything in return. Victims lose up to US$40 per month or equivalent to Rp566,000, depending on their location and mobile operator.

“All apps are nearly identical in terms of functionality, which leads me to believe that one actor or group of bad actors is behind this campaign,” said threat analyst at Avast, Jakub Vávra.

Quoting TechRadar, Tuesday, October 26, Vávra revealed that the app often disguises itself as a dedicated keyboard, QR code scanner, video editor, photo editor, spam call blocker, camera filter, and mobile game.

In fact, Vávra stated UltimaSMS often promote themselves through advertisements on social media networks such as TikTok and Instagram, which he believes is a clear sign of the size and impact of this particular campaign.

After the victims download the application, UltimaSMS will immediately check the user's device location, IMEI, and phone number to determine which language is displaying the fraud. Then, the subscription fee will be charged to the victim on their cell phone bill.

“Apps are disguised as real apps through well-built app profiles in the Play Store. However, on closer inspection, they have a general privacy policy statement, showing a basic developer profile including a general email address,” explains Vávra.

According to Vávra, UltimaSMS appears to be a global campaign, because according to data from Sensor Tower, a mobile app marketing intelligence and insights company, the app has been downloaded by users from more than 80 countries.

The application was most downloaded by users in the Middle East, such as Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, followed by users in the US and Poland.

Seeing this, Vávra and the rest of the Avast team then reported the scam application to the Google security team for action, and sure enough, it didn't take long, Google then immediately blocked the application from the Play Store.

Tips to Prevent Premium SMS Scams

When downloading new apps, especially those advertised in short and interesting videos. Teenagers may be especially vulnerable to this type of fraud.

While there are legitimate uses for subscribing to premium SMS, such as donating to charity, it's an easy way for criminals to abuse it.

Disabling this option will cancel the UltimaSMS scam. Based on the multiple user accounts that left negative reviews, it looks like teenagers are among the victims, as they may be more vulnerable to this type of scam.

Scam apps often increase the review rate, but a written review can reveal the true purpose of an app. Checking developer history and profiles may also be useful.

There are exceptions to this, unless you trust the app. Being careful with personal details, including phone numbers and emails, goes a long way in avoiding similar scams.