Google has removed a malicious application from the Play Store that had disguised itself as another app. The application that was removed is a rogue version of the app called BatteryBot Pro.
The original application is a paid one and lets the user know how much power a smartphone is using. The rogue app however is free, sends premium rate text messages and prevents users from being able to delete it.
Apparently, people who had it installed will have to call their mobile provider to fix the issue. The application does seem tempting especially since it is available for free as compared to the paid version while giving the same features.
But even if people realise their mistake after installing, they won’t be able to uninstall it since you already give the app the necessary permissions it needs when installing. It can be solved by wiping the phone completely but most users are reluctant to do that fearing loss of data.
Even though Google has pulled the app from the Play Store, existing users still wont be able to uninstall it and it is best advised to contact your mobile provider.