Google won't do anything about these hugely popular malicious apps, so just uninstall them yourself

Another day, another damningly in-depth report on the (lack of) Google Play security reveals a massive new list of seemingly legitimate Android apps that should basically be avoided at all costs.

Even if you’re not easily intimidated by these types of threats and (increasingly) frequent warnings, it’s hard to just ignore the fact that we’re a fourth (!) batch of malicious apps published in only the last three weeks, with the total number of potential July victims entering eight-digit territory.

Here are all the new apps you should avoid, uninstall and never install on your phone again

Photo Editor: Beauty Filter
Photo Editor: Retouch and Cut Out
Photo Editor: Art Filters
Photo Editor – Design Maker
Photo editor and background eraser
Photo and Exif Editor
Photo Editor – Filter Effects
Photo filters and effects
Photo Editor: Blur Image
Photo Editor: Cut, Paste
Emoji Keyboard: Stickers and GIF
Neon Theme Keyboard
Neon Theme – Android Keyboard
Cashe Cleaner
Feel like charging
FastCleaner: Cashe Cleaner
Caller Skins – Caller Themes
funny caller
CallMe Phone Themes
InCall: Contact Background
MyCall – Call Personalization
Caller theme (com.caller.theme.slow)
Caller theme (com.callertheme.firstref)
Funny Wallpapers – Live Screen
Auto Changer for 4K Wallpapers
NewScrean: 4D Wallpapers
Stock wallpapers and backgrounds
Notes – reminders and lists
Poco Launcher
4K Pro camera
YouToon – AI Cartoon Effect
Pista – Cartoon Photo Effect
Water Reminder – Tracker & Reminder
Yoga – for beginners to advanced
Chat online

How many different photo editors do you need to realize that your camera just isn’t that great? Aren’t there enough established, well-reviewed, and all-around great keyboard tools available from respected developers and companies to discourage you from ever trying to find the “next great” alternative? Don’t you have something better to do than download something called “Funny Caller” or “Funny Wallpapers” on your phone?

These are just some of the newly discovered malicious apps that you should remove as soon as possible.

These are just some of the questions you might ask yourself the next time you feel bored browsing Google Play’s lists of the hottest and most popular titles available for free. A little self-awareness and research can go a long way in avoiding the old Joker plague, unauthorized subscriptions to fake “premium” services, breaches of personal information such as email addresses and phone numbers, and so many other scams and tricks designed to end up costing you money.

Of course, no amount of research and care can prepare you for the occasional “super virus,” which somehow gains popularity, earns solid reviews, and slips through the Play Store cracks for an inexplicably long time.

What does Google actually do?!

For the most part, not many, watch helplessly as malicious titles like the above enter the Play Store and scam some users before cybersecurity experts flag these apps, after which many of them disappear without a trace.

Unfortunately, there are cases where: Google doesn’t even do this bare minimum, leaving Joker-infected, data-stealing, and money-guzzling apps on more and more phones after security researchers do what they do best.

No, we’re not going to show you any of the three malicious apps that are still available… at least until they’re removed.

At least three of the apps listed above, which remain unnamed for quite obvious reasons, are in that situation at the time of writing, and run for free on the most trusted Android app store of anyone, despite being proven to be have been found guilty of various egregious money and data theft tactics.

If history is any indication, all these apps will: possibly be terminated, but many others are likely to return, hungrier, more sophisticated, and harder to detect. Unfortunately, these are constant threats that you have to learn to live with and protect yourself from without waiting for much help from Google, starting of course with removing every flagged title lurking on your Android device.