Watch Out! Fake Gmail Android App Spies On You and Steals Your Info

We've seen a lot of fake apps that have been disguised to look like the real ones in app stores. Some, like the fake Biophilla app and fake Instagram app, run malware in the background that sends off unauthorized SMS messages that rack up an expensive bill in the process.

It's been several months since those kinds of apps have been discovered, and even more have been introduced, like this newly-discovered Gmail app that's as fake as fake apps can get. The difference is that this one isn't trying to scam you out of your money; it's trying to spy on you and steal your personal information instead.

This was discovered by security researchers from NQ Mobile, who dubbed the fake app as DDSpy. When the fake Gmail app is fired up, it runs silently in the background to forward SMS messages and phone records when it receives the commands from a remote server.

Based on the malware authors' whims, the app can also record conversations and other related logs. What's even more alarming is that it comes with a GPS-uploading interface that can be used to introduce new (and possibly deadly) features in the future.

Keep your information private and secure your device by getting an anti-virus and anti-malware scanner, if you haven't already. Make sure to download apps only from reputable or official app stores and never approve application requests from unknown sources.