# Beware! DANGEROUS Google Play Store app BANNED due to Joker Malware, delete from phone now | Tech News (HT Tech) > Check your Android smartphone for this dangerous app that has Joker Malware. Save yourself this way. # Beware! DANGEROUS Google Play Store app BANNED due to Joker Malware, delete from phone now ## Check your Android smartphone for this dangerous app that has Joker Malware. Save yourself this way. Aug 21 2022, 22:47 IST ![Follow on Facebook](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/follow-us-facebook.png) ![Follow on Facebook](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/follow-us-facebook-hover.png) ![Share](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/Share.png) ![Share](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/Shareclicked.png) ![Share on WhatsApp](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/whatsapp.png) ![Share on WhatsApp](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/whatsapp-hover.png) ![Share on Twitter](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/twitter.png) ![Share on Twitter](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/twitter-hover.png) ![Share on Facebook](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/facebook.png) ![Share on Facebook](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/facebook-hover.png) ![Bookmark](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/Bookmark.png) ![Bookmarked](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/Bookmarked.png) ![Joker Malware](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/img/2021/12/20/1600x900/MaxPixel.net-Elite-Data-Exploits-Hack-Hacking-Hacker-Crackers-813290_1639985916088_1639986197154.jpg) Joker Malware-infected Color Message app has already been downloaded more than 5,00,000 times. (Max Pixel) ![Author Photo](https://images.hindustantimes.com/tech/static/revamp/images/png/HTTech-new-circle-logo.png) ### By HT TECH If you are using an Android smartphone, then you need to check immediately if your device is infected by this infamous piece of malware which can end up costing you a lot of money. Joker Malware, one of the most persistent threat actors that keeps coming back to the Google Play Store. It was first detected in 2017 and became the most popular choice of cybercriminals to invade phones of Android users. In 2019, Google Play Store had also published a long blog post about its fight with Joker malware. Now, Joker malware has been found on an app which has already been downloaded 5,00,000 times from the Google Play Store. The app which is posing a serious threat to such a large number of users is known as Color Message. The Google Play Store app looks safe at first sight. It claims to make your SMS texting more fun with new emojis. But the team of researchers from the mobile security solutions firm Pradeo found that the camouflaged app promising to offer 'fun and beautiful' messaging experience is actually infected with Joker Malware. The security firm categorises the Joker malware as Fleecewear and its primary function is to replicate clicks and capture SMS in order to trick users into subscribing to unwanted paid premium services. Color Message does the same. Shockingly, the malware detection is almost a year old but still it was available on Google Play Store till December 16. However, Google Play Store has banned the app from the store. However, the app still poses security concerns for those users who had downloaded it in the past must still have it on their Android devices. Also read click here. ### What do you need to do? If you are one amongst those 50,000 who have downloaded the Joker infected Color Message app, then delete it immediately from your device. You can directly press the app icon in your menu to get the uninstall option. Besides that, you can open your Google Play Store then head towards Menu, where you will get the My Apps & Games option. Select the Color Message app and choose uninstall. ### Are you safe now? Apparently not! Uninstalling or deleting an app is not enough to free your device from its harm. As in the case of the Color Message app, uninstalling would not be enough to cancel the subscriptions that you have been secretly signed up for due to the malware. For that you need to reopen Google Play Store and move ahead to Subscriptions in Menu. Check all of the premium subscriptions you've signed up for, and if any of them appear to be suspect, choose it and then cancel the subscription. Then you must follow the on-screen directions. Now. you will be perfectly safe from loss! 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