I’m a security expert – two ‘red flag’ warnings that you should delete an app right away to stop bank and battery drain
A SECURITY expert has revealed two red flags to look out for when it comes to apps and they may make you want to delete some.
Justin Kraft, CEO of Renew Social, revealed the red flags in a recent interview.
Kraft explained the two bad signs to Reader’s Digest.
NO REVIEWS
If an app has very few or no reviews on an app store then alarm bells should start ringing.
It could be perfectly innocent and just incredibly new but it could also be a sign of a scam.
Kraft said: “If an app is not brand new, it is a red flag to see that it has no reviews.
“It is also concerning to see an app that has only a few reviews that all sound like they were written by the same person.”
NO DEVELOPER’S WEBSITE
It’s important to know who the developer of the app is.
This can provide context and help you spot a scam.
If you can’t find a link to the developer, you might be looking at a scam app.
Kraft told Reader’s Digest: ‘“If you try to find out more information about the app’s developer and cannot find a reputable website that tells you about the app, the team that’s working on it, and other information, the app is probably not trustworthy.”
WHAT ARE THE DANGERS OF APPS?
Having suspicious apps on your phone risks your personal data and even your financial information.
Some scam apps also drain your battery as they’ve loaded malware onto your phone.
Apps often request privacy permissions for very good reasons.
It’s a problem when an app requests privacy permission that just doesn’t make sense.
A scam app is likely to ask for too many permissions it doesn’t need in an attempt to steal your data or take over your device.
If a torch app is asking for access to your microphone and it’s not clear why, that could be a dangerous sign that something is very wrong.