Kaspersky Reveals a Series of Fake Apps on Google Play

One example of a fake investment application (photo: Kaspersky)

JAKARTA - Online fraudsters are constantly looking for innovative ways to execute their attacks, constantly adapting to social trends and luring users with attractive offers.

Recently, Kaspersky experts discovered a series of fake apps on Google Play exploiting today's hottest topics, including AI, chat bots, crypto assets and links related to tech mogul Elon Musk.

"Online fraudsters are constantly developing their tactics to exploit the latest trends and technologies. From fake applications to phishing pages, they use bait and attractive designs to target unsuspecting users," said Igor Golovin, security expert at Kaspersky in a written statement received by VOI in Jakarta.

According to the expert, the application being analyzed lures victims in daily profits of up to 9.000 US dollars (IDR 133 million), with an initial investment of only 250 US dollars (IDR 3.1 million).

However, once victims install the app and open it, they are asked to enter personal information such as name, phone number and email. After that, a message appears, assuring victims that registration was successful and instructing them to wait for a call from the broker's representative with further guidance.

In similar scam scenarios, the victim usually receives a call from the fraudster who reassures the victim about the success of the investment, and then the victim is instructed to transfer money to the fraudster's wallet. After that, the victim loses his money and never gains anything.

In addition to fake applications, Kaspersky researchers have also identified phishing pages that use a similar technique and structure. It is very likely that this phishing attack was orchestrated by the same operators responsible for spreading the fake app.

The Kaspersky team claims to have reached out to Google and warned the search giant about fraudulent apps appearing on Google Play.