FBI warns of mobile beta-testing app scam that steals data and money

The FBI is warning of a new type of fraud in which cybercriminals offer users to install malicious apps on their smartphones under the guise of beta testing.

These apps disguise themselves as legitimate programs with official designs and names, but actually steal user data, gain access to financial accounts, and sometimes completely brick phones.

To convince users to install apps bypassing official stores, scammers use phishing, romance schemes, and other tricks to build trust. They can even teach victims how to hack into the smartphone’s defenses, but in a way that doesn’t look suspicious.

After installing the malware, attentive users may notice rapid battery drain, slow operation of the device as a whole, incomprehensible pop-up notifications, as well as the sudden appearance of unknown applications that contain an excessive number of system permissions.

The FBI notes that scammers often use such schemes to steal cryptocurrency. They convince victims to enter their online wallet details into the app, ostensibly to invest, but in fact transfer funds to their accounts. According to experts, hundreds of thousands of users suffer from such scams every year, and the damage is estimated at billions of dollars.

The FBI recommends that you do not install software from unofficial sources, even if it looks like the real thing. But even when downloading from official stores, you should carefully check the developer page and reviews about the application itself.

In addition, agents advise regularly checking the phone for suspicious applications using antivirus software and carefully monitoring battery consumption.