Android users may have been secretly charged by popular app – how to check
Cybercrimes have been on the rise during lockdown as millions of mobile phone and tablet users download apps to relieve the boredom or help them unleash their creative side on social media.
A new security study has revealed that one such app available on the Google Play Store, which has been downloaded by over 100 million users worldwide, could be secretly withdrawing cash from your linked debit or credit card account.
VivaVideo is described as a ‘Pro Video Editor and Free Video Maker app’ on the Google Play Store and has received over 12 million reviews with an average rating of 4.4 stars out of five.
But, security experts Upstream Systems have taken a closer look at the app and said their Secure-D platform identified over 20 million “fraudulent transaction attempts” from VivaVideo since early 2019.
(Image: Google/Getty/Express)
Upstream Systems added that these transactions could have resulted in $27 million (over £20 million) in fake charges for users of the Android app.
They said these “fraudulent” transactions came from VivaVideo users being signed up in secret to premium subscription plans, reports Express Online.
The VivaVideo app allegedly sent invisible ads to users in an attempt to get them to sign-up to these paid-for plans.
Upstream Systems said their Secure-D platform has managed to block over 20 million suspicious transactions from the VivaVideo app.
While they added that suspicious activity was detected in 19 countries, including the UK, Brazil was the heaviest hit region with over 11.5 million dubious transaction attempts.
In their study online Upstream Systems said: “Upstream’s mobile security platform Secure-D identified that a popular Android app was responsible for over 20 million fraudulent transaction attempts that could have resulted in $27 million in fake charges for users.
“The VivaVideo app has been initiating premium subscription attempts, delivering invisible ads to users while avoiding detection by users.”
Besides trying to secretly sign users up to paid-for…
