They are part of a premium SMS scam campaign. View the full alphabetized list.
A collection of 151 scam apps have been discovered and removed from the Google Play Store, but Android users need to check they don’t have any of them installed (or did in the past).
As BGR reports, the cybersecurity software company Avast recently discovered a widespread premium SMS scam operating on the official Play Store. Avast has dubbed it the UltimaSMS campaign (because the first scam app the firm discovered in its investigation was Ultima Keyboard 3D Pro), and it consists of 151 fake apps that have been downloaded over 10.5 million times in more than 80 different countries.
The apps disguise themselves as legitimate tools across multiple app categories including custom keyboards, QR code scanners, video and photo editors, spam call blockers, camera filters, and games. However, they all ultimately have the same aim of signing users up for premium SMS services.
Each app follows the same pattern: Once installed, the phone’s location, International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI), and phone number are checked to discover the area code and language to use. Prompts then ask the user for their phone number and sometimes their email address, too. This information is then used to subscribe the user to premium SMS services without them realizing it. The charges are typical $40 or more a month and it can take weeks or months for a user to realize.
Once an UltimaSMS app has achieved its goal it either stops working or offers more subscription options rather than the promised functionality it was downloaded for. The problem is, even if a user uninstalls the app at this point the premium subscriptions will continue to take money from their accounts.
Avast created a list of all 151 apps that are part of this scam, and they are listed in the chart below; every Android user should take a look. If you have any of these apps installed (or did in the past), uninstall them immediately, but also check your statements and contact your carrier if you spot any unusual charges. It should also be possible to ask your carrier to disable premium SMS options on your account if you want to avoid this type of scam in the future.
This isn’t the first time and certainly won’t be the last time we see phone users targeted with scam apps. Malware is also a serious problem, with over 10 million Android phones found to be infected with the GriftHorse malware last month.
| AIM PRO Helper and Custom Crosshair | org.aimprohelper.customcrosshair |
| All HD Video SX - Smart Player | al.lhdvideo.sxsmart |
| All Language Photo and Voice Translator AI | de.alllanguagephoto.voicetranslatorai |
| All Translator: Photo, Voice & Text | com.alltranslatorpho.tovoicetext |
| AmazeTranslate | de.amaz.etranslate |
| Amazing Arab Videos | de.amazingarab.videos |
| Amore Live Random Chat | com.amoreliv.erandomchat |
| Ano caller: Spam List & Caller ID | au.anocaler.spamliist |
| AppLock X FREE | gr.applckx.free |
| AppLocker X Pro 2021 | com.applocker.xpro |
| AR Qibla Easy Finder Pro | org.qibla.easyfinderpro |
| AR Video PRO Downloader | com.arvideo.prodownloader |
| Arabic Keyboard | de.keyarabic.keyboardar |
| Battery Animation Charge 2021 | de.bttranimch.arge |
| Battery Charging Effects: From 0 to 100% | de.batterycharging.effectsfr |
| Call Voice Recording 2.0 | ca.llvoicereco.rdingvertwo |
| Calls ID Unlocker | de.callsid.callunlocker |
| Camera Translator | de.cameratranlator.cameratra |
| Cartoon Photo Editor Pro | com.carto.onphotoed |
| Chat Keyboard Translator PRO | com.chatkeyboar.dtranslpro |
| Chat Translator for WhatsApp | com.chatranslator.forwhatsapp |
| Chat Translator Pro for WhatsApp | com.chattrans.latorpro |
| Clap and Find | com.auclap.andfind |
| Cold Fan Free 2021 | com.coldfan.free2021 |
| Colorful Call Screen & Phone Flash | com.clrfulcall.scrphflash |
| CosmosVPN | cs.mos.vpncosmos |
| Couch Watcher - Guide of Streaming | com.couchwatcher.guideofstream |
| Crime City: Revenge | de.crimecity.revengecity |
| DiskRecover: Photo & Files Recovery | org.diskrecover.photofiles |
| Downloader ALL Social file | com.downloaderall.socialfile |
| Dynamic HD & 4K Wallpapers | da.nami.chdfourkwallp |
| Earth Scanner | com.mfoeroearth.scannerid |
| Easy Chat Translator for WhatsApp | com.easychattrans.latorwhatsapp |
| Easy Chat Translator: All Language | com.easychattransla.torallang |
| Easy Hidden Apps Detector | com.easyhiddenapp.sdetector |
| Easy iOS Launcher 2021 | org.easyios.launcher2021 |
| Easy Photo Recovery 2021 | org.easyphoto.recovery |
| Easy Smart Translator Pro | fr.easysmart.translatorpro |
| Easy Wifi Access & Fast Vpn | com.easywifiacc.essfastvpn |
| EasyCode: QR and Barcode Scanner | de.easycode.qrscanner |
| Egyptian Gods | com.egypti.angods |
| Fast Dates Chat | org.fastdates.datechat |
| Fingerprint Hider 2021 | org.fingerprinthi.der2021 |
| Fitness Ultimate 2021 | org.ultimatefit.ness |
| Football Masters 2021 | fr.footbal.lmast |
| ForMuslims | de.formu.formuslims |
| Free Launcher X Pro | fr.eelauncherx.pro |
| Free Secret Downloader | de.freesecret.downloader |
| Future AI Scan Free 2021 | fr.futurus.aiscanfree |
| Future Scanner FREE 2021 | com.futuresca.nnerfree |
| FX Animate Editor Pro | fr.animatedit.orpro |
| Game Center: Complete Edition | org.gamecenter.completeedition |
| GT Sports Racing Online | gt.sportraci.ngonline |
| Hacker Simulator App | org.coolhacker.hackapp |
| HDlife Camera and Video | com.hdlifecamera.andvideocam |
| Hidden Section: Secret Lock | org.hiddensection.secret |
| ICall U - Online Video Hotchat | org.icall.uonline |
| iDownloader: Social Network Media | org.idownloader.socialnetworkmedia |
| inpulse - DJ Mix App | org.inpulsedj.mixapp |
| iOS Launcher X 2021 | io.slauncherx.twentyone |
| LED Border | au.ledbor.derder |
| Likes & Followers for Tik-Tok | com.tiktokbe.top |
| Live Cam Pro 2021: Earth cam & Live Street View | fr.livecampr.oearthcam |
| LivePhoto Animator | org.livephoto.animatorlive |
| Loopy Live: Global Streaming Video Chat | com.loopy.liveapp |
| Luck Casino | fr.leluckca.sia |
| Ludo Masterpiece Online | org.ludomasterpiece.online |
| Ludo Masters 2021 | ir.ludoma.sterstwentyone |
| Magic Fonts and Keyboard 2021 | de.magicfonts.keyboard |
| Magic Keyboards and Fonts | com.magickeybo.ardsfonts |
| Magic Mix Cut - Super Video Editor | org.magicmixcut.supervideo |
| Magic Pop It: AR & 3D Relax | com.magicpopit.relax3d |
| Make Wallpaper and Widget | org.makewallpaper.andwidget |
| Mawlid An-Nabi | de.mawlidan.annabi |
| Mawlid An-Nabi | org.mawlidan.annabi |
| Meme Voice Changer PRO | org.meme.voices |
| MiaWall4K | com.miawall4k.wallp |
| Mobile Scanner Pro: PDF Scanner App, Scan to PDF | org.mobilescanner.pro |
| Muslim Memoji & Stickers for Whatsapp | com.muslimemo.jistickers |
| Muslim Stickers and Memoji for WhatsApp | org.muslimstickers.memojiwats |
| My Mia 4K Wallpapers | com.mymia4k.wallpap |
| My Photo Battery Charging 2021 | com.myphotoba.tterycha |
| My Rolling Icons | org.myroll.ing |
| New Body Shape Editor | de.newbody.shapeeditor |
| NewVision Camera | fr.newvisio.ncam |
| NOWDownloader and Private Apps | com.nowdownloader.privateapps |
| Parallels - Multi Accounts | com.parallelsmult.iaccou |
| Phone Finder | de.phoneutil.finderphoe |
| Photellon | com.phot.ellon |
| Photo & Voice Translator | com.photovoi.cetranslato |
| Photo Animation PRO | com.photoani.mationpro |
| PhotoLab Pro + | org.photola.bproplus |
| Photoshop Detector | org.photoshop.detector |
| Pixelize Art | com.pixeli.zeapp |
| Pixler: Face Retouch & Effects | org.pixlerface.retouch |
| Pro Calls Recorder | org.procalls.recorder |
| Pro Tuber Ad Blocker for Video | de.protuberad.blockerforad |
| Pro Video Downloader 2021 | de.provideodow.nloa |
| Professional Hidden Device Detector | com.professionalhidden.device |
| Projector HD/AR Video Editor | de.projectorhdar.videoeditor |
| Projector video HD Editor | com.projvideo.hdedi |
| Pulse Rate Checker | org.pulserate.checkerrate |
| Pure Tube PRO: Block Video Ads | ar.puretu.bepro |
| Qibla Finder: Qibla Compass & Prayer Times 2021 | com.qiblacompass.prayertimes |
| Rainbowed: Gay Random chat & Live stream | com.rainbwd.gayrndchat |
| Rec Old File | de.recold.oldfilerec |
| Recovery Old Photo | au.recovery.oldphto |
| Reface Ultra | de.ultrareface.appreface |
| RGB Neon HD Keyboard Background | com.rgbneonhd.keyback |
| Roll Your Icons | ro.rollyo.uricons |
| Rubic’s Cube: Real Time Solver | com.rubliccube.realtimesolver |
| SecVPN: Fast and Secure VPN | de.secvpnfast.securevpn |
| Smart City Taxi | org.smartcity.taxicity |
| Smart Global Translator | org.smartglobal.translatorsmartg |
| Soltpapers: 4K Custom Wallpapers | sl.tpapers.fourk |
| Spam Calls Buster | org.spamcalls.bustercalls |
| StarMaker PRO | de.starmaker.promaker |
| Stay Fit: Home Fitness Plan | com.stayfithome.fitnessplan |
| Stickers Maker ART | org.stickersmaker.art |
| Stickers Up! | org.stickersup.stickeruppe |
| Teammate Finder | com.teammatefinder.teamsp |
| ToEdit: Body and Face Retouch | com.toeditbody.faceretouch |
| Truck Driver Simulation | org.truckdriver.simulationtr |
| TrueCaller ID: Caller ID, Spam Block and Chat | com.truecallcaller.idchat |
| Ultima Keyboard 3D Pro | org.ultimatekey.board |
| Ultra Camera HD | de.ultracamera.hdcamera |
| Ultra Live Wallpapers 4Κ and Ringtones | org.ultralive.wallpapershd |
| Video Downloader Master | com.videodownloaderma.sterdio |
| Video Saver & Private Browser | org.videosaverprivate.browser |
| VideoMixer Editor Pro | ga.vidieomi.xeredito |
| VidMixer Pro | com.vidmi.xerpro |
| VPN Fastest Edition | de.vpnfastest.editionvpn |
| VPN Toaster: Easy Network Access | org.vpntoaster.easynetworkaccess |
| Wallpaper Anime for Android | de.wallpaperanime.forandroid |
| Wallpaper XYZ Pro | de.wallpaper.xyzwallpapers |
| Wally4K | com.wally.fourk |
| Waterdrinker Reminder | de.waterdrinker.reminder |
| Whistle Phone Finder | com.whistlephone.finderphone |
| WhoCall Caller ID and Spam Blocker | de.whocaller.idspamblocker |
| Whos Called: Multi-SIM Caller ID and SpamBlock | org.whocalled.multisimcallerid |
| Wi - Fi Holder | fr.wifiho.lder |
| Wi-Fi Around: All Wi-Fi and Hotspots Unlock | de.wifiaround.hotsposts |
| Wi-Fi Opensignal | de.wifisignal.connectionopensignal |
| Wi-Fi Password Unlock | de.wifipassword.unlockpass |
| Wi-Fi Secret Master | org.wifisecret.masterwifi |
| Wi-Fi Security and VPN | org.wifisecurity.andvpn |
| WI-FI Unlock Password | org.wifiunlock.passwordwifi |
| WI-FI UnlockerPRO | com.wifunlo.ckrpro |
| WOX - Antivirus & Cleaner, Applock, Booster | wox.anitivirus.cleanerbooster |
| XCall | com.showcaller.calleridspamlist |
| XN Wallpapers: 4K/3D/Parallax, Auto Changer | org.xnwallpaper.parallax |
