SCAM ALERT: Delete These 24 Popular Chinese Android Apps Right Now From Mobile.
Android users have been urged to delete any apps from the Chinese company Shenzhen Hawk immediately. The 24 apps were released into the Google Play Store under fake developer names and have been downloaded more than 380 million times - which translates to a lot of vulnerable devices. Here's what you need to know.
It’ll take all of one minute or so to check your phone and make sure you don’t have any of the scammy apps from Shenzhen HAWK—or the various app developer names it uses. Google has removed all 24 apps in question from the Google Play Store, but you’ll have to uninstall them manually. They won’t just disappear from your device.
The apps, ranked in order of downloads, are:
Sound Recorder (100M)
Super Cleaner (100M)
Virus Cleaner 2019 (100M)
File Manager (50M)
Joy Launcher (10M)
Turbo Browser (10M)
Weather Forecast (10M)
Candy Selfie Camera (10M)
Hi VPN, Free VPN (10M)
Candy Gallery (10M)
Calendar Lite (5M)
Super Battery (5M)
Hi Security 2019 (5M)
Net Master (5M)
Puzzle Box (1M)
Private Browser (500,000)
Hi VPN Pro (500,000)
World Zoo (100,000)
Word Crossy! (100,000)
Soccer Pinball (10,000)
Dig it (10,000)
Laser Break (10,000)
Music Roam (1,000)
Word Crush (50)