Seven fraudulent apps found in the Google Play store by Avast offer skins and wallpaper for games but charge as much as $120 a month.
Image: Google
The Google Play store is sometimes plagued by malicious and fraudulent apps that use sly tactics to slip past Google’s own protections. Some of these apps impersonate legitimate programs. Some carry malware or try to steal your personal information. But another type of fraudulent app employs a technique known as “fleeceware.” A blog post published Tuesday by security provider Avast identifies the deceptive apps and explains how do get rid of them.
SEE: Top Android security tips (free PDF) (TechRepublic)
The term “fleeceware” describes an app that by itself is not malicious, meaning there’s nothing inherently harmful about it. Rather, these apps attempt to fleece their customers by starting off with a free trial or other come-on and then sneaking in a hidden