We’re not sure how Google is filtering the apps coming in on the Google Play Store as suspicious developers still manage to put their apps in. This is why the company is always conducting clean-ups of apps that are not safe for their users.
However, unsafe apps can still reach unsuspected users. Avast, a cybersecurity firm, discovered a scam campaign called UltimaSMS that’s been apparently operating for months.
It works by distributing and spreading dangerous and fake apps via SMS messaging, and even using popular social media platforms like Facebook, Tiktok, and Instagram. The objective is to enroll users in expensive SMS services and also leak money from their accounts or plans.
They even come with legit-looking names to help the users be convinced that they are safe. What users don’t know is that some of these apps can figure out their phone number, IMEI, and location.
A premium SMS service can cost as much as USD40 or around Php2,000 when directly converted. Users could be charged weekly without them noticing.
Avast explained that the uncovered apps are essentially identical in structure. This means that they have a similar base structure with well-constructed app profiles so they look genuine on the Play Store. However, upon closure inspection, they do have generic privacy policy statements, basic email addresses, and developer profiles. They even fake positive reviews, however, those who were able to identify them were able to leave negative comments.
You can check the full list of apps below.
| App Name | Package Name |
| AIM PRO Helper and Custom Crosshair | org.aimprohelper.customcrosshair |
| All HD Video SX – Smart Player | al.lhdvideo.sxsmart |
| All Language Photo and Voice Translator AI | de.alllanguagephoto.voicetranslatorai |
| All Translator: Photo, Voice & Text | com.alltranslatorpho.tovoicetext |
| AmazeTranslate | de.amaz.etranslate |
| Amazing Arab Videos | de.amazingarab.videos |
| Ano caller: Spam List & Caller ID | au.anocaler.spamliist |
| AppLocker X Pro 2021 | com.applocker.xpro |
| AR Qibla Easy Finder Pro | org.qibla.easyfinderpro |
| AR Video PRO Downloader | com.arvideo.prodownloader |
| Arabic Keyboard | de.keyarabic.keyboardar |
| Battery Animation Charge 2021 Dynamic HD & 4K Wallpapers RGB Neon HD Keyboard Background AppLock X FREE | de.bttranimch.arge da.nami.chdfourkwallp com.rgbneonhd.keyback gr.applckx.free |
| Battery Charging Effects: From 0 to 100% | de.batterycharging.effectsfr |
| Cartoon Photo Editor Pro VPN Toaster: Easy Network Access My Mia 4K Wallpapers Magic Pop It: AR & 3D Relax | com.carto.onphotoed org.vpntoaster.easynetworkaccess com.mymia4k.wallpap com.magicpopit.relax3d |
| Chat Keyboard Translator PRO | com.chatkeyboar.dtranslpro |
| Chat Translator for WhatsApp | com.chatranslator.forwhatsapp |
| Chat Translator Pro for WhatsApp | com.chattrans.latorpro |
| Clap and Find | com.auclap.andfind |
| Colorful Call Screen & Phone Flash Waterdrinker Reminder GT Sports Racing Online | com.clrfulcall.scrphflash de.waterdrinker.reminder gt.sportraci.ngonline |
| Couch Watcher – Guide of Streaming | com.couchwatcher.guideofstream |
| Crime City: Revenge | de.crimecity.revengecity |
| DiskRecover: Photo & Files Recovery | org.diskrecover.photofiles |
| Easy Chat Translator for WhatsApp | com.easychattrans.latorwhatsapp |
| Easy Chat Translator: All Language SecVPN: Fast and Secure VPN LED Border Smart Global Translator | com.easychattransla.torallang de.secvpnfast.securevpn au.ledbor.derder org.smartglobal.translatorsmartg |
| Easy Hidden Apps Detector | com.easyhiddenapp.sdetector |
| Easy Photo Recovery 2021 | org.easyphoto.recovery |
| Easy Smart Translator Pro | fr.easysmart.translatorpro |
| Easy Wifi Access & Fast Vpn | com.easywifiacc.essfastvpn |
| Fast Dates Chat | org.fastdates.datechat |
| Fingerprint Hider 2021 | org.fingerprinthi.der2021 |
| Fitness Ultimate 2021 | org.ultimatefit.ness |
| Football Masters 2021 New Body Shape Editor Call Voice Recording 2.0 | fr.footbal.lmast de.newbody.shapeeditor ca.llvoicereco.rdingvertwo |
| ForMuslims | de.formu.formuslims |
| Free Launcher X Pro | fr.eelauncherx.pro |
| Free Secret Downloader Loopy Live: Global Streaming Video Chat Earth Scanner | de.freesecret.downloader com.loopy.liveapp com.mfoeroearth.scannerid |
| Future AI Scan Free 2021 | fr.futurus.aiscanfree |
| Future Scanner FREE 2021 | com.futuresca.nnerfree |
| FX Animate Editor Pro | fr.animatedit.orpro |
| Hacker Simulator App MiaWall4K Photo Animation PRO | org.coolhacker.hackapp com.miawall4k.wallp com.photoani.mationpro |
| HDlife Camera and Video | com.hdlifecamera.andvideocam |
| ICall U – Online Video Hotchat | org.icall.uonline |
| iDownloader: Social Network Media | org.idownloader.socialnetworkmedia |
| iOS Launcher X 2021 | io.slauncherx.twentyone |
| Likes & Followers for Tik-Tok Camera Translator WI-FI UnlockerPRO | com.tiktokbe.top de.cameratranlator.cameratra com.wifunlo.ckrpro |
| Live Cam Pro 2021: Earth cam & Live Street View VPN Fastest Edition Cold Fan Free 2021 | fr.livecampr.oearthcam de.vpnfastest.editionvpn com.coldfan.free2021 |
| Luck Casino Egyptian Gods Easy iOS Launcher 2021 Phone Finder | fr.leluckca.sia com.egypti.angods org.easyios.launcher2021 de.phoneutil.finderphoe |
| Magic Fonts and Keyboard 2021 | de.magicfonts.keyboard |
| Magic Keyboards and Fonts | com.magickeybo.ardsfonts |
| Magic Mix Cut – Super Video Editor | org.magicmixcut.supervideo |
| Mawlid An-Nabi | org.mawlidan.annabi |
| Meme Voice Changer PRO | org.meme.voices |
| Muslim Memoji & Stickers for Whatsapp | com.muslimemo.jistickers |
| Muslim Stickers and Memoji for WhatsApp | org.muslimstickers.memojiwats |
| My Photo Battery Charging 2021 | com.myphotoba.tterycha |
| My Rolling Icons | org.myroll.ing |
| NewVision Camera | fr.newvisio.ncam |
| Parallels – Multi Accounts XN Wallpapers: 4K/3D/Parallax, Auto Changer Whos Called: Multi-SIM Caller ID and SpamBlock | com.parallelsmult.iaccou org.xnwallpaper.parallax org.whocalled.multisimcallerid |
| Photellon | com.phot.ellon |
| Photo & Voice Translator | com.photovoi.cetranslato |
| PhotoLab Pro + | org.photola.bproplus |
| Photoshop Detector | org.photoshop.detector |
| Pixelize Art | com.pixeli.zeapp |
| Pixler: Face Retouch & Effects | org.pixlerface.retouch |
| Pro Calls Recorder | org.procalls.recorder |
| Pro Tuber Ad Blocker for Video | de.protuberad.blockerforad |
| Pro Video Downloader 2021 | de.provideodow.nloa |
| Professional Hidden Device Detector | com.professionalhidden.device |
| Projector HD/AR Video Editor LivePhoto Animator Ludo Masterpiece Online Mobile Scanner Pro: PDF Scanner App, Scan to PDF | de.projectorhdar.videoeditor org.livephoto.animatorlive org.ludomasterpiece.online org.mobilescanner.pro |
| Projector video HD Editor | com.projvideo.hdedi |
| Pure Tube PRO: Block Video Ads | ar.puretu.bepro |
| Qibla Finder: Qibla Compass & Prayer Times 2021 EasyCode: QR and Barcode Scanner Wi-Fi Opensignal | com.qiblacompass.prayertimes de.easycode.qrscanner de.wifisignal.connectionopensignal |
| Rainbowed: Gay Random chat & Live stream | com.rainbwd.gayrndchat |
| Rec Old File | de.recold.oldfilerec |
| Recovery Old Photo | au.recovery.oldphto |
| Reface Ultra | de.ultrareface.appreface |
| Roll Your Icons CosmosVPN Amore Live Random Chat Game Center: Complete Edition | ro.rollyo.uricons cs.mos.vpncosmos com.amoreliv.erandomchat org.gamecenter.completeedition |
| Rubic’s Cube: Real Time Solver | com.rubliccube.realtimesolver |
| Smart City Taxi WI-FI Unlock Password Downloader ALL Social file Hidden Section: Secret Lock | org.smartcity.taxicity org.wifiunlock.passwordwifi com.downloaderall.socialfile org.hiddensection.secret |
| Soltpapers: 4K Custom Wallpapers | sl.tpapers.fourk |
| Spam Calls Buster | org.spamcalls.bustercalls |
| StarMaker PRO | de.starmaker.promaker |
| Stay Fit: Home Fitness Plan | com.stayfithome.fitnessplan |
| Stickers Maker ART | org.stickersmaker.art |
| Stickers Up! | org.stickersup.stickeruppe |
| Teammate Finder | com.teammatefinder.teamsp |
| ToEdit: Body and Face Retouch | com.toeditbody.faceretouch |
| Truck Driver Simulation | org.truckdriver.simulationtr |
| TrueCaller ID: Caller ID, Spam Block and Chat | com.truecallcaller.idchat |
| Ultima Keyboard 3D Pro | org.ultimatekey.board |
| Ultra Camera HD | de.ultracamera.hdcamera |
| Ultra Live Wallpapers 4Κ and Ringtones | org.ultralive.wallpapershd |
| Video Downloader Master inpulse – DJ Mix App Make Wallpaper and Widget Wally4K | com.videodownloaderma.sterdio org.inpulsedj.mixapp org.makewallpaper.andwidget com.wally.fourk |
| Video Saver & Private Browser | org.videosaverprivate.browser |
| VideoMixer Editor Pro | ga.vidieomi.xeredito |
| VidMixer Pro | com.vidmi.xerpro |
| Wallpaper Anime for Android | de.wallpaperanime.forandroid |
| Wallpaper XYZ Pro | de.wallpaper.xyzwallpapers |
| Whistle Phone Finder Calls ID Unlocker Ludo Masters 2021 Mawlid An-Nabi | com.whistlephone.finderphone de.callsid.callunlocker ir.ludoma.sterstwentyone de.mawlidan.annabi |
| WhoCall Caller ID and Spam Blocker Pulse Rate Checker NOWDownloader and Private Apps | de.whocaller.idspamblocker org.pulserate.checkerrate com.nowdownloader.privateapps |
| Wi – Fi Holder | fr.wifiho.lder |
| Wi-Fi Around: All Wi-Fi and Hotspots Unlock | de.wifiaround.hotsposts |
| Wi-Fi Password Unlock | de.wifipassword.unlockpass |
| Wi-Fi Secret Master | org.wifisecret.masterwifi |
| Wi-Fi Security and VPN | org.wifisecurity.andvpn |
| WOX – Antivirus & Cleaner, Applock, Booster | wox.anitivirus.cleanerbooster |
| XCall | com.showcaller.calleridspamlist |
Via: PhoneArena