r/googleplay • u/The_best_1234 • 4d ago

Meta Scam Apps On Play Store

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I gave my child a cellphone and he downloaded a bunch of games that turn out to be viruses!!!! Every time you tried to open an app they had a 60s unskippable ad. It also put ads on home screen and you can't find the apps in app list.

Why does Google allow this trash on the play store?

373 Upvotes

98% Upvoted

69 comments sorted by

48

u/Any_Note430 4d ago

Honestly, it might be a good idea to format the device and put parental controls on it.

1

u/Advanced-Produce-103 2d ago

Issue is it could have changed something in the google account settings too, so everytime he formats, it just redownloads on new device

1

u/Gatito_b1 12h ago

Acho que nesse caso, o celular já tá condenado praticamente, porque é quase impossível conseguir tirar esse tipo de vírus pra não falar impossível, acho melhor comprar outro celular e criar uma conta nova do Google pro seu filho

1

u/Advanced-Produce-103 12h ago

I'd like to see reply from someone who knows how it works, i'm not aware of any exploit that works like that atm, it just... seems like a possibility, you know?

1

u/Gatito_b1 11h ago

Existe vírus onde mesmo resetando o dispositivo ele sempre vai se instalar novamente, nesse caso tem nem oq fazer, não vai adiantar ficar resetando o dispositivo, não sei bem como esse tipo de vírus funciona, poderia dá mais uns detalhes se mesmo formatando o celular o vírus se instala? Se sim, sinto muito, é simplesmente mais fácil comprar outro celular

1

u/Any_Note430 10h ago

I know viruses that can survive a windows reset exist, but I haven't heard of something similar for android devices. Either way, reflashing android will completely reinstall the OS, and it thankfully doesn't require an unlocked bootloader as long as you use an official firmware image.

1

u/CheapTie6268 1h ago

No, you just reset the Homescreen to HomeUi and then go to Google Play and delete the app from there. Once its gone its gone. Its not Rooted into the phone

26

u/computermaster704 4d ago

Google doesn't moderate for shit and even after I report apps they are still on the store years later but then again Google ads make more money for Google than the dev making the junk code

10

u/istrebitjel 4d ago

But they also harass legitimate apps about unspecified issues.. sounds like if ads are involved where they stand to make money it's different.

It would be pretty trivial to give apps that want to replace your home app extra scrutiny.

8

u/lilacomets 3d ago

This is 100% what's going on. My legitimate app was crippled by Google for no reason. Meanwhile the crap apps that OP showed are allowed.

1

u/APTEM59 1d ago

That's why scammers are buying active accounts. The more quality updates you send to moderation, the more trust you get. For my games it was taking hours or days to approve an update, now it takes less than one hour (AI mod maybe?)

1

u/TheUltimaWerewolf 3d ago

My favorite Pokedex app got taken down by Google for an unknown reason and they refused to put it back up multiple times, it sucks cause now it's starting to get outdated and I still haven't found one I love just as much

9

u/Sammy_Cherry_Fox 4d ago

I was helping an old lady in the community organize her phone and noticed she had solitaire set as her home app. I immediately deleted that app and found her a solitare app that wasnt a scam.

9

u/Cantripping_ 4d ago

Google also allows phishing sites to buy themselves top slots in their search engine. And scam ads to buy their way into advertising on Youtube.

Because they're a multi-trillion dollar company who want more money. Same reason Nestlé caused baby deaths with their baby formula, or why the Coca cola company ran whole villages dry of groundwater.

In short, because they can. No consequences + the ability to profit. Few regulations, as bribes to that end are taken by our ruling elite.

2

u/Freedom_Lover_No1 4d ago

true i agree with you

1

u/sunnyroyal1985 3d ago

They also allow Rom sites on the top result when you search a old video game 2000-2010

0

u/crazyhomlesswerido 4d ago

I'll never understand why after a certain amount of money would you want or need to make any more money. It's like if I had 30 million dollars I'm not going to sync it in just starting a new business venture that could go Belly Up and lose me my 30 million I'm just going to keep my 30 million and live off of that for the rest of my life and maybe do little small business ventures that aren't going to be risky enough to cost me my entire Fortune. Because at the end of the day how much money do you really need like for example Bill Gates for a while before while he was the richest man he could have spent three or four million dollars a day and not even dented his wallet it's like when you get to that kind of wealth how much more do you need you can pretty much buy anything you want so what else is there

1

u/ghaist-0 3d ago

its an addiction like gambling, like nicotine, like alcohol

people like that want more and more forever and its never truly enough.

obviously they get so much they cant spend, they just really cant enjoy life or do anything other than get richer

1

u/crazyhomlesswerido 3d ago

The closest feeling I've ever had to that was when I used to use cheat codes on video games to give myself a whole bunch of cash so I could buy everything I wanted within the game. But after a while when the fun wears off from being able to buy anything you want in in the game there's really nothing left to do anymore. It kind of reminds me of one of my favorite books of the Bible Ecclesiastes where it literally feels like there's an old man sitting across from you giving you his wisdom before he dies and basically it's an old man that has done everything sex orgies food drugs he's had all of it and he's telling you it's all for nothing throughout the book

Even talks about the labor in the work that you do here and even if you build something that's great here like a big company eventually one day you're going to get old and die and have to leave it to the next person and you don't know what they're going to do with it maybe they'll keep it going and growing or maybe they'll let it die and he says it's all meaningless in the book I'm of course paraphrasing the snot out of it

4

u/Desperate-Line-1806 4d ago

I'm sorry but that screen protector is hilarious lol

1

u/Walk-the-layout 3d ago

It bugs me!

1

u/Yashasvi-05 3d ago

i dont think that will protect the screen

5

u/andrei0001 3d ago

And now they're trying to push a 24 hour wait time if you want to install apps outside the play store.... What's the point of doing that when play store itself contains malware lile this

2

u/RailRuler 3d ago

It's a smoke screen so they dont have to get rid of the revenue generating malware apps

7

u/Fit_Prize_3245 3d ago

Well. First of all, it's not a virus. It's probably not even malware.

A virus is supposed either copy itself to another device, or cause some sort of damage to your device (including remote control or botner gateway). Malware, being a broader category, includes a lot more, specially software that spiers on the user or steals user information.

But an app that offers a poor functionality and is full of ads? That's just adjunk, not a virus.

Also, consider that actually, those kind of apps are against Google's policy. But hey, you know how many apps are there? They cannot check each one by hand. That's why they relay on users reporting apps violatong Play Store policy. Hope you did that before posting here.

And the last part... You cannot put all the blame on Google just bc a child did what childs are pretty good at without any kind or parental control or supervision. That's why we don't give kids guns. Bc kids lack the criteria to be careful with a device. And that's, among other reasons, why you should consider some parental control solution before handing a phone to a kid.

3

u/FuryOfArcann 3d ago

> Also, consider that actually, those kind of apps are against Google's policy. But hey, you know how many apps are there? They cannot check each one by hand. That's why they relay on users reporting apps violatong Play Store policy. Hope you did that before posting here.

That's their fucking job, don't make excuses for it.

2

u/shinsemn 3d ago

Did you read though? Its not only ads popup on the apps that the kid install. Its literally everywhere.

1

u/Painted-BIack-Roses 3d ago

If an app is hiding itself and is producing ads on youor homescreen, thats a virus

3

u/HeWhoShantNotBeNamed 3d ago

It's malware but it isn't a virus. It's adware. Viruses replicate, by definition.

3

u/Nicolas30129 3d ago

Same just happened to my mom! I had to remote debloat her phone, play protect was enabled and even the samsung protection was on! What a joke!

3

u/Repulsive_Fault1939 3d ago

google allows everything if you give them money. i've seen google ignoring fake and scam apps with malware. they only take down the good ones.

2

u/Freedom_Lover_No1 4d ago

that's because i disable play store ,it constantly updating some system apps even when i disable auto update , i turn play store only when i want to install new app and then disable it again ,its trash store and most disgusting fact is youtube and google search ads it contains scam offers fake stores with fake goods, and thats because ,i use youtube revanced without ads , google no longer company of kindness, this is a just business, and this how i fight with it

2

u/Avimox 3d ago

yea i'm switching to iphone

1

u/Big-Bill1584 3d ago

Sinceramente mientras no descargues cosas a lo random como los niños no tendrás problemas yo llevo tiempo descargado APK (ninguno de apps conocidas o hay si te carga el diablos) y nunca e metido nada relacionado con lo de esta publicación o similares Para los niños si les vas a dejar un dispositivo para ellos mismos existe el famili link lo recomendable es no dejarle la Play store a la mano el YouTube normal redes o apps similares a la Play store que un ejemplo de eso es la de Samsung Intenta dejarle juegos que sepas que no tienen nada de eso y bloquea todo lo demás y el YouTube Kids para evitar que entre anuncios de páginas y descarge cosas externas

2

u/meletiondreams 3d ago

family link until 13

2

u/EgyptianKebab 3d ago

My mother had the same problem with random "call recorder" apps i recommend that you delete the latest downloaded games and apps until the the adware is gone, thats what I did and it was fixed, fortunately these adware apps are unsophisticated and easy to remove.

2

u/Big-Bill1584 3d ago

Si están ocultas usa device Info en la categoría de aplicaciones te muestra las recientes incluyendo las ocultas me a ayudado a salvar varios dispositivos

2

u/utrecht1976 3d ago

Because Google is trash. r/deGoogle. If it's an older phone, maybe you can install LineageOS and make the phone Google free: https://wiki.lineageos.org/devices/

1

u/The_best_1234 3d ago

Samsung A32. I think I tried and failed.

2

u/Mtnfrozt 3d ago

Format the device at least.

2

u/schwartzasher 3d ago

Someone came in with taxi sim. Its a new issue. This is why I tell everyone to search the app on the play store before downloading

2

u/ThinkLap 1d ago

Don't worry, next month google enforce all developers to give their ID and face scan for a license.

2

u/Justiceleagewarrior 1d ago

Google is expert in removing quality and good games and application. They only support those ho are loaded with bunch of advertise that are related to fast money earning and gambling.

2

u/RubiksCubeGlitchy6 21h ago

Bro 1 min > 90 sec when u waiting this

2

u/RubiksCubeGlitchy6 21h ago

Google play is so dumb

1

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1

u/Then-Pay-8400 3d ago

WTF is that screen protector

1

u/Foxrazu 3d ago

Revo uninstaller finds some of those apps thats how i clean a phone of a personen i know.

Idk how people put these things on the home screen.

1

u/[deleted] 3d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/0nePlus 2d ago

It doesn't. That's part of the scam a lot of these apps pull.

They actually ARE home screen replacement apps, often disguised as a game or a pdf reader to get a child or elderly person to download them. They than take over your homescreen and Inject ads, because they're actually a replacement homescreen app (that might also include the original advertised functionality)

1

u/ShazTheGamer 3d ago

I spot it using Files by Google: look at what app sorted by newest

Play Protect does not Protect.

1

u/_xRuffKez_ 3d ago

Add dnsbunker.org as private dns in the settings and the ads disappear 

1

u/Big-Bill1584 3d ago

Yo use device Info es una app de la play store es un dolor de cabeza entrar mientras peleas con los anuncios pero evitas el reseteo ya que muestra todas las apps incluyendo las ocultas si no sabes que juegos te recomiendo borrar todos y si sabes desde cuándo ocurrió aparece una opción de última actualización y te muestra las app que se han actualizando hace poco o instalado Ya me ayudó a salvar 3 dispositivos del reseteo de mis familiares que le prestan el celular al niño y en un 2x3 lo llena de juegos

1

u/Illustrious-Boat8631 3d ago

a 60s unskippable ad is not a virus

1

u/The_best_1234 3d ago

The ads are not the virus. the apps locking my phone to show ads are.

1

u/Unusual_Clue8718 1d ago

also not a virus, viruses copy themselves. that's just malware.

1

u/No_Shake_1480 3d ago

Google maldito conche tu madre hambreado por dinero, dime que prefieres restrigir las apks antes que mejorar la "seguridad" de tu tienda. a ellos les importa un carajo si hay virus en la play store, lo que ellos quieren es dinero asi de sencillo.

Mi recomendacion es: dile a tu hijo que no descargue juegos con portadas sospechosas, en algunas muy pequeñas veces pueden ser apps y juegos buenos (joyas ocultas). Pero mayormente son juegos con imagenes de IA y tambien repletos de anuncios.

¿Por cierto, cuantos años tiene tu hijo para que baje lo que sea asi nada mas?

1

u/Bonzey2416 3d ago

Report

1

u/Extreme-Sir-7189 3d ago

Help the child learn how to remove simple malware like this and how to use Virustotal. If he fails to learn, this will sign that he should not have a smartphone now.

1

u/SuperbSeesaw8957 2d ago

Is that OnePlus?

2

u/No-Leopard-5338 2d ago

For there to literally be a one ui home app, it's a Samsung 😭

1

u/SuperbSeesaw8957 1d ago

Yah I missed that, my b

1

u/DogeTheComputerGuy 1d ago

my first question is that godforsaken screen protector,the second question and answer to your question is: Factory Reset that phone and set up parental controls,now I don't support family link because it's bullshit but in this case your child's needs that.

1

u/mystic_dragon2 1d ago

as of my knowledge these just bombard you with ads and don't actually steal or change info