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April 26, 2017

Use Caution when Downloading Music Apps for your Android Phone

There are so many music downloader apps available for download to your Android (News - Alert) phone, and most of them are legit. However, there are always those few bad apples that spoil the bunch. When looking for the best music downloader apps, it’s important to use caution so you don’t end up downloading something that can cause damage to your phone and, more importantly, threaten your security. There are malicious apps out there that are designed to steal your personal data, those that will want you to sign up to receive “premium” features (only to lead you to malicious links). Once you download these apps, they can steal your personal data without you knowing anything nefarious is happening.



Here’s how to recognize these “bad apps” so that you don’t fall victim to their tricks.

Fake music apps

So many of us download music these days, and to do that you’ll need a music downloader app. When searching for a music downloader app, there’s a natural tendency to want to choose the one that is the most popular, or the one that has been downloaded the most frequently. Unfortunately, this strategy can lead you to end up downloading a fake app. It may look perfectly normal, providing you links to stream popular songs, but as soon as you start using the app to stream your favorite tunes, the app begins charging you outrageous fees for the “service.” By downloading the app, you will have inadvertently downloaded – and subscribed to! – an SMS service that is based overseas, hence the exorbitant fees. Although you may be tempted to say “That’s not fair!” if you look at the terms and conditions of the app (you know, the ones you blindly agreed to when you clicked “I Agree”) you agreed to pay the fee for the streaming service.

Fake installers

There are some installer programs out there that are not the real deal. They have been made to look legit because they have the word “Google (News - Alert)” in their URL, which gives it the illusion of authority. Upon downloading these, the program immediately begins sending the user messages about premium rates.

Hidden or “Cloaked” Malware

Sometimes what appears to be a legitimate app will be a Trojan horse for a piece of malware. When you download one, the cloaked malware takes a back-door entrance into your device, causing all kinds of havoc, often without you even knowing it.

No matter what kind of phone you have, if you download apps to it, you need to use a measure of caution to ensure you aren’t unwittingly downloading things that will cost you your money, your safety, and your privacy. Always do your research before you download an app to find out which ones are the best and safest, and if you are in doubt, don’t do it. An ounce of caution goes a long way when it comes to protecting yourself. 




Edited by Alicia Young
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