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Fraudulent Minecraft-Related Apps Deceive Millions of Google Play Users, Avast Warns
Fleeceware applications, posing as Minecraft mods, lure hundreds of dollars per month from their users for simple services such as new wallpapers

Redwood City, Calif., November 10, 2020 — Avast (LSE:AVST), a global leader in digital security and privacy products, has identified a wave of malicious mobile applications in the Google Play Store targeting gamers, particularly fans of the popular Minecraft video game. These so-called “fleeceware” applications offer new skins, colorful wallpapers, or modifications for the game, but disproportionately charge users hundreds of dollars per month. Avast has reported seven of these apps to Google, but as of this publication they are all still active. 

Fleeceware, a relatively new category of cybercrime, offers users an attractive service, usually for a short free trial period of three days. After that, the application will automatically and subtly begin charging excessive costs, up to $30 per week. Fraudsters expect the user to forget about the installed application and its short trial, or fail to notice the real subscription cost. The reviews will have many 1 or 5 star reviews but nothing in the middle, with a low star rating overall.

“Scams of this nature take advantage of those who don’t always read the fine print details of every app they download. In this case, young children are particularly at risk because they may think they are innocently downloading a Minecraft accessory, but not understand or may not pay attention to the details of the service to which they are subscribing,” noted Ondrej David, malware analysis team lead at Avast. “We urge our customers to remain vigilant when downloading any app from unknown developers and to always carefully research user reviews and billing agreements before subscribing.”

If you have installed an app that you suspect may be fleeceware, it is not enough to uninstall the app; you must also cancel the subscription directly in the Play Store (Play Store → Menu in the upper left corner → Subscription). 

Avast has reported the following fleeceware apps to Google Play:

Name of application & link to Play Store download

Number of downloads from the Play Store

Application price (after trial period): 

Skins, Mods, Maps for Minecraft PE

Over 1 million

$30 a week

 

Skins for Roblox

Over 1 million

$30 a week

Live Wallpapers HD & 3D Background

Over 100,000 

$90 a year 

MasterCraft for Minecraft

Over 1 million

$30 a week

Master for Minecraft

Over 1 million

$30 a week

Boys and Girls Skins

Over 1 million

$30 a week

Maps Skins and Mods for Minecraft

Over 100,000

$30 a week

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