Google deleted these 163 malicious apps from Play Store, you should too

Google seems to be in a constant cat-and-mouse game with malicious Android apps. The company has recently removed more than 100 apps from its Play Store that disguise as popular ones only to cause users a lot of trouble with their malicious intentions. If you have any of these apps on your smartphone, it’s time you get rid of them.

Delete these malicious Android apps now!

Around 163 Android apps have been found that Google recently removed from the Play Store, as per Satori Threat and Intelligence Research firm. Referred to as ‘CopyCatz’ apps, they pose as popular app titles, luring users into downloading them, thus, seeing an increase in the downloads.

It is suggested that such apps contained a code to display out-of-context ads to the users. Once downloaded, the apps bombard users with innumerous out-of-context adverts. Such unexpected ads can eventually slow down the users’ phones and can even spy on users. Also Read - Google completes Fitbit acquisition

What’s surprising is that the apps have been downloaded 10 million times, suggesting these apps are quite popular. This gives you all the more reason to get rid of them if you have any of the apps.

Here is a list of the apps for your help: (Note: some apps just have app IDs and no names)

1. 3D Photo Editor
2. 3D Tattoo Photo Editor & Ideas
3. Applock 2020 – App Locker & privacy guard
4. AppLock New 2019 – Privacy Zone & Lock your apps
5. Assistive Touch 2020
6. Audio Video Editor
7. Audio Video Mixer
8. Battery Saver Pro 2020 – New Power Saver
9. Block Puzzle 102: New Tentris Mania
10. Chronometer
11. DJ Mixer Studio 2018
12. GPS Speedometer
13. Graffiti Photo Editor – Graffiti Creator
14. iSwipe Phone X
15. Lock app with Password – Applock All App Protector
16. loudest alarm clock ever
17. Lovedays Memory 2020 – Love Counter Together
18. Magnifier Zoom + Flashlight
19. Max Cleaner – Speed Booster Pro 2021
20. Motocross Racing 2018
21. Name Art Photo Editor
22. Nox Cool Master – Cool Down 2020
23. OS 13 Launcher – Phone 11 Pro Launcher
24. OS Launcher 12 for iPhone X
25. Photo Editor Awesome Frame Effects 3D
26. Rain Photo Maker – Rain Effect Editor
27. Repair System For Android & Speed Booster
28. Ringtone maker – Mp3 cutter
29. Ringtone Maker Ultimate: New Mp3 Cutter
30. Secure Gallery Vault: Photos, Videos Privacy Safe
31. Smart Cleaner-Battery Saver, Super Booster
32. Super Phone Cleaner 2020
33. Video Music Cutter & Merge Studio
34. Wifi File Transfer 2019
35. Wifi Key – Free Master Wifi
36. Wifi Speed Test
37. Wps Tester
38. WPS WPA Wifi Test
39. 100 mb Internet Speed Test – Broadband Speed Test
40. 2 Ways Call Recorder Automatic, Record Phone Calls
41. 3D Awesome Frame Effects
42. 3D Photo Frames Effects & 3D Art Photo Maker
43. Animals Sound Ringtones Real Free
44. Anti WannaCry Virus – Android
45. Antivirus – Virus Remover
46. Antivirus 2017
47. Antivirus 2017
48. Antivirus 2017
49. Antivirus 2017 & Cleaner
50. Antivirus 2017 & Cleaner
51. Antivirus 2020, Cleaner & Booster
52. Antivirus For Android
53. Antivirus Pro 2017
54. Assistive Touch 2018
55. Audio Video Editor Mixer 2019 – Video Cutter
56. AV Antivirus 2017
57. Battery Doctor – Power Battery 2018
58. Battery Doctor 2018 – Fast Charger
59. Battery Saver – Fast Charging
60. Battery Saver – Saving Battry
61. Battery Saver Pro
62. BeanPro Antivirus
63. Big Front – Change Front Size
64. boost clean (junk cleaner pro)
65. Calculator
66. Call Block Blacklist and Block SMS Easy
67. Call Recorder For Android
68. Chinese Chess
69. Clean My Android – Antivirus
70. cleaner booster -ultra security-
71. Collage Maker
72. Control Center IOS 12 – Phone X Control Center
73. Cool Master -CPU Device Cooler
74. Disk-clean-suite
75. Don’t Stop Eighth Note
76. Don’t Stop Eighth Note
77. Don’t Stop Eighth Note 2
78. Don’t Stop Eighth Note Zombie
79. Eighth Note
80. Eighth Note V2
81. Eighth Note: Yasuhati
82. Fast Charger – Dr Battery 2017
83. Feeding Fish
84. Followers – Unfollowers For Insta
85. free antivirus
86. Free Antivirus-Mobile Security
87. Free VPN Proxy – Unlimited VPN & Wifi Security
88. Get Followers Up 2019
89. Get Followers Up 2020
90. GPS Navigation
91. Holy Bible
92. How Fast is My Internet – High Internet Speed Test
93. Internet Speed Check 2019
94. Internet Speed Test
95. Internet Speed Test
96. Internet Speed Test APK
97. Internet Speed Test Free
98. Internet speedmeter check
99. K-Lock gallery picture & video
100. Learn Excel 2019
101. Learn Play Piano – Pianist
102. Lich Van Nien 2017
103. Lịch Vạn Niên 2018 – Lịch Âm 2018
104. Lion Antivirus 2017
105. Loudest Volume Booster
106. Love days counter
107. Male To Female Voice Changer
108. Master Sudoku Offline Free 2018
109. Max Cleaner – Booster, Optimizer, Super Cleaner
110. Memory Cleaner 2020
111. Milab Music Player – All format audio files
112. Mine Sweep – Free Miner Game
113. Mp3 cutter – Video Cutter, Easy Ringtone Maker
114. MP3Cutter & Ringtone Maker 2020
115. New Full Battery Saver – Battery Manager & Cleaner
116. Night Mode
117. Old Phone Ringtones
118. Optimiser Pro Cleaner Booster
119. Phone Booster
120. Phone Cleaner – Speed Booster
121. Phone Cooler – Cooling Master
122. Photo Editor
123. Photo Frame Effects 3D
124. QR Code Scanner – QR Reader
125. Quick Ball
126. Quick Photo Square – Insta Emoji 2019
127. Recovery all photo deleted
128. Scream Go – Eighth Note T-Rex
129. Secret Lock
130. Security Pro
131. Simple App Lock
132. Smadav antivirus 2017
133. Smadav antivirus for android 2018
134. Smadav pro Total security
135. Sound Meter
136. Speed Test Internet – Speed Check
137. speedtest net app
138. Sudoku 2
139. Sudoku Basic For Beginners 2019
140. Super Antivirus Cleaner 2020
141. Super Cleaner – Phone Cache Cleaner, RAM Booster
142. Super Loud Alarm Clock
143. Super Loud Volume Booster
144. Super Wifi Rounter – Who Is On My Wifi
145. Super Wifi Rounter – Who Is On My Wifi
146. TV Antivirus Free + Applock
147. Ultra Cleaner 2018
148. Unfollowers & Ghost Followers For Insta
149. Virus Cleaner – Antivirus 2018
150. VPN Unlimited Proxy – Super VPN For Android
151. WiFi Toolbox
152. WPS Tester
153. instapersan.youch.unfollow
154. com.adrocklink.batterysaveras
155. com.maloch.colorballsnbl
156. com.miyoo.miyoubaidian
157. com.vttl.app7.restoreimaget
158. com.xmwork.ringmaster.makes
159. elphitamine.controlcenter
160. free.vpn.super.proxy.anou
161. hp.toolbox.speed
162. lulu.drmundow2017
163. speed2018.mohamad.alyousef

It is advised that only the official apps be downloaded from the Google Play Store to avoid such malicious apps. It’s always best to read the reviews and ratings of an app before downloading.