Millions have been warned against making Android mistakes – you’re putting yourself at risk

ANDROID owners are urged to beware of a scam ripping off popular apps like Instagram.

The apps disguise themselves as innocent tools and services that initially do no harm.

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But later, an update pop-up appears, which is where the real danger begins.

It’s a sneaky way that allows hackers to evade detection.

Threat Fabric experts first spotted it in Android Wi-Fi authorization apps.

It was distributed via a fake one-page website that contained only two buttons.

The supposed update hides samples of something called Ermac, a nasty banking Trojan that has been making the rounds on the dark web for some time.

Once installed, it can steal things like emails from your Gmail and hijack two-factor authentication codes, cyberbods claim.

They can also record the buttons you tap on your device and even steal login credentials from anyone with cryptocurrency wallets.

However, the attack can only take hold if you download apps from the Internet outside of the Google Play Store.

Therefore, following any link posted on social media or other shady websites is discouraged.

Always go through official channels and make sure you only download apps from the Google Play Store to stay safe.

There are also tools like Google Play Protect that you can use to keep your devices clean.

“New tools appear to make malware less suspicious or more trustworthy to the victim, leading to more successful fraud cases,” Threat Fabric warned.

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