Fake Android Crypto Mining Apps might lure you into fake mining that may cause more harm to your device than good to your pocket. Because Scammers have started to make fake crypto-mining apps for Android to target the craze of cryptocurrency mining.
These fake miners are available for all users, and some even managed to remain undetected at the Play Store. Unlike the vast majority of malicious apps, fake crypto-mining apps do not necessarily perform any suspicious activities.
They just focus on luring the users into making payments in some form, which looks legit, but you will not be getting any of that back.
Don’t download the Fake Android Crypto Mining Apps
Normally the apps are pitched as cloud mining service that promises you convenience and easy returns for opting in. You do not have to invest in hardware to get the computing power needed to mine coins, so that sounds pretty amazing.
While cloud crypto mining is not an illegal service, it is not a successful business model yet. And the number of such services is limited. Hence, the fake applications claim to connect you with a cloud mining service that does not exist.
Once you install a fraudulent app and sign up for it, you can expect a dashboard that displays a mining hash rate. Usually, the hash rate is a low figure which is not rewarding at first. So it prompts you to upgrade the cloud hardware to improve the hash rate and get better rewards.
From initial reports by Lookout security, they categorize the mining apps as BitScam and CloudScam. The payments happen using Google Play in-app purchases. These payment gateways are made to look legit to win user confidence but are just money-bagging machines.
But you can always be cautious about crypto mining apps before you download them. Go through app reviews—not just the relevant reviews, but explore the recent reviews as well. Make sure that the developer is reputable or has another app that is well-regarded.
Keep an eye out for permissions and settings prompted by the app. And always look for terms and conditions. A fake app is highly unlikely to have detailed terms and conditions. Let us know if you have had any experience with phone mining apps before by commenting below.