A MAN downloaded what he thought was a Google Play app however found it had emptied his checking account.
A 70-year-old retiree recognized as Lou [not his real name]Shin Min informed Each day Information {that a} malware assault from a pretend Google Play app for Android drained his account of $71,000.
“The cash that was transferred included my pension that I had simply obtained in January, which was about $30,000,” Lu mentioned.
His pension, $40,000 in life financial savings, was gone.
He obtained a name from DBS Financial institution officers informing him that $71,000 had been transferred to an abroad account in the course of the evening, leaving solely $2,000.
On Tuesday, the Singapore Police Drive and the Cyber Safety Company of Singapore issued a joint assertion warning the general public “in regards to the risks of downloading apps from third-party or questionable web sites”.
DAMAGED SOFTWARE IN THE GOOGLE PLAY APP
After Singapore police investigated Lu’s telephone, it was found {that a} pretend Google Play app containing malware had been put in, resulting in the theft of his private info.
It’s unlikely that Lou will get his a refund.
“The police informed me that when the cash is transferred overseas, it can’t be returned. It was my financial savings, it is unhappy to lose it like that, my spouse and I could not sleep properly due to this incident,” Lu. informed Shin Min Each day Information.
Along with his pension and life financial savings, Lu informed Shin Min Each day Information that cybercriminals spent $6,000 on his bank card, which he has but to repay.
PROTECT YOURSELF!
The Singapore Police Drive and the Singapore Cyber Safety Company have printed steps to observe to guard in opposition to malware assaults.
They embrace:
- Obtain and set up apps solely from official app shops.
- Examine the developer info within the app listing, plus the variety of downloads and consumer critiques.
- Flip off “Set up unknown app” or “Unknown sources” in Android safety settings.
- Keep away from clicking on in-app advertisements that result in third-party web sites.
- Be sure that your gadgets’ working programs and apps are up to date frequently.
- Be sure that your gadgets are put in with up to date anti-virus/anti-malware software program.
- Don’t permit persistent pop-ups that request entry to your machine’s {hardware} or information.
