Google Removes Fake Investment Apps FHT and SS-Equitrade from Play Store

Google recently removed two fraudulent investment-related apps, FHT and SS-Equitrade, from its Play Store on Android. The removal came after the Gurugram cyber police notified Google about these apps, citing concerns regarding cybercrime in the district. According to the Station House Officer of the cybercrime police station in Gurugram, investigations revealed that cyber fraudsters used these apps to lure people with promises of high returns on investments. Approximately 1.55 lakh users had downloaded the FHT app alone. Naveen issued a warning, advising the public to conduct thorough research and obtain complete information before transferring money for investments to avoid falling victim to cyber fraud.

This action by Google is part of its broader efforts to enhance user safety on its platform. The company recently shared a report indicating that it removed 2 million apps from the Play Store in 2023 alone. Additionally, Google disclosed that it prevented the publication of 2.28 million potentially harmful apps in the same year, highlighting a significant increase from the previous year. Furthermore, Google has proactively rejected or remediated nearly 200,000 app submissions to ensure the proper use of sensitive permissions, such as background location or SMS access. Moreover, the company collaborated with Software Development Kit (SDK) providers to strengthen privacy measures across over 31 SDKs, impacting over 790,000 apps.

The blog read, "Additionally, nearly 200,000 app submissions were either rejected or remediated to ensure the appropriate use of sensitive permissions, such as background location or SMS access. To further protect user privacy on a large scale, we collaborated with SDK providers to restrict sensitive data access and sharing, bolstering privacy measures for over 31 SDKs affecting more than 790,000 apps."

Google's proactive measures underscore its commitment to maintaining a safe and trustworthy environment for users on the Play Store. By removing fraudulent and malicious apps, such as the fake investment apps flagged by the Gurugram Cyber Police, Google aims to protect users from potential cyber threats and fraudulent activities, reaffirming its dedication to user privacy and security.