Watch out: These fake porn apps are sneaking onto Android phones to steal money

The Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre has issued a warning about a surge in financial crimes involving fake pornography apps found on Android phones. These malicious applications, disguised as adult content and promoted via Facebook and Instagram ads, seek to steal users' personal and financial data. Users are enticed to download the APK files, which are the file format used for Android apps.

Once installed, these apps request permissions to install more applications and, by exploiting accessibility permissions, gain control over the device, potentially leading to financial theft. Some of these apps also install VPNs, which can be used to route malicious internet traffic. To avoid such scams, users are advised not to share sensitive information like OTPs, PINs, passwords, CVV numbers, or banking credentials.

They should also avoid clicking on suspicious links, downloading unknown apps, or responding to urgent calls or messages about bank accounts, KYC updates, parcels, rewards, or government schemes. Officials warn that fraudsters often pose as police officers, bank staff, courier workers, customer service representatives, or government officials to pressure victims into transferring money or granting remote access to their phones.

To stay safe, citizens are told to verify such claims through official channels, avoid panic, use strong passwords, enable two-factor authentication, keep devices and apps updated, and download apps only from trusted sources. Users should also be wary of scanning QR codes, accepting unknown video calls, or making payments to unfamiliar accounts.

The cybercrime coordination centre encourages victims of online fraud to report incidents immediately to the national helpline at 1930 or through the official portal at www.cybercrime.gov.in.