TikTok was arguably the most popular app in India and post its ban in the country, people are being offered a number of alternatives for the same. However, it seems like people are still missing the popular TikTok app and this is how cybercriminals are taking advantage of the situation. New malware is being circulated in the form of a fake TikTok app and it has issues you should know of. Read on to know more about it.
Fake TikTok Pro app isn’t safe for you
Since the TikTok ban in India, apart from the various proxy apps being launched, a fake TikTok Pro is going viral and is being spread across WhatsApp in the form of APKs for users to download it. While you may be intrigued by the total lookalike of TikTok and want to get your hands on it, you should know that it isn’t safe at all.
The TikTok Pro app looks like TikTok and asks for permissions such as access to the camera, phone gallery, microphone, and more. However, through the TikTok Pro app, hackers are aiming to steal users’ sensitive information from their smartphones.
The messages, asking users to download the app from the external sources, are being sent across various social media. The message reads, “Enjoy TikTok videos and also make creative videos again. Now TikTok is only available in (TikTok Pro) so download from below.” This is followed by the link to download the fake app.
The Maharastra Cyber Cell has warned people of the fake TikTok Pro app being promoted via a tweet. The tweet informs about the fake TikTok Pro app and asks people to not download the app. It is advised that if a user sees the message, he or she should delete it and refrain from forwarding to users.
In addition to this, people are advised not to download the APKs of any of the 59 Chinese apps that have been banned in India, especially when they re not available on the authentic app stores. Such apps, that claim to the alternatives to the banned apps can be malware in disguise and pose a threat to the security and privacy of users.
Hence, you should stay safe and NOT download such malicious and suspicious apps.