payment apps Archives

AppWizard

May 9, 2026

Fake Call History Apps Stole Payments From Users After 7.3 Million Play Store Downloads

Cybersecurity researchers from ESET have discovered 28 fraudulent applications on the Google Play Store that falsely claimed to provide access to call histories for any phone number. These apps have been downloaded over 7.3 million times, with one app alone accounting for over 3 million downloads. The operation, named CallPhantom, primarily targeted Android users in India and the Asia-Pacific region. Users were lured into subscription services, paying for access to fictitious data, including call histories and SMS records, but received only randomly generated information. Some apps were published under the developer name "Indian gov.in" to create a false sense of trust. Payments were processed through the Google Play Store or third-party applications like Google Pay and Paytm. Users who subscribed via Google Play may be eligible for refunds, while those who used third-party payment methods may not be able to recover their funds. The fraudulent activity may have been ongoing since at least November 2025.

AppWizard

December 24, 2025

Android Automotive Adds PIN Lock for Apps

Google is enhancing its Android Automotive platform with a feature called Sensitive App Protection, which allows drivers to secure individual applications with a PIN lock. This feature ensures that sensitive information remains confidential in shared vehicle environments by enabling drivers to restrict access to specific apps while allowing passengers to manage entertainment options. Users can set a unique 4- to 16-digit code for app locks, and recovery is possible via a linked Google Account, although it may involve deleting the locked apps or their data. Most apps from the Play Store can be locked, except for certain system apps like Assistant, Maps, and Settings, which remain accessible. The feature is being rolled out as an unbundled system app, meaning automakers must choose to integrate it, and it will be available through over-the-air updates for vehicles equipped with Google services from various manufacturers. Automakers are expected to restrict PIN entry while the vehicle is in motion for safety reasons.

AppWizard

September 24, 2025

Banking Trojans Target Android Users by Mimicking Government and Legitimate Payment Apps

A financially motivated cybercrime group has been targeting Android users in Indonesia and Vietnam by deploying banking trojans disguised as legitimate government applications. They spoof Google Play Store and App Store interfaces to deliver malicious APKs through obfuscated WebSocket connections, evading traditional security measures. Analysis of over 100 malicious domains shows they use Alibaba ISP, Gname.com for domain registration, and share-dns.net nameservers, with rapid DNS resolutions occurring within about 10.5 hours during peak daytime hours in Eastern Asia. The group's delivery mechanism utilizes the Socket.IO library for real-time WebSocket connections, allowing them to stream malicious APKs in small chunks. The downloaded file, often named IdentitasKependudukanDigital.apk, installs a variant of the BankBot trojan family. Some simpler spoofed sites offer direct download links with mixed language code strings, indicating the use of multilingual templates. Domain registration data from August 2024 to September 2025 shows these threat actors frequently reuse TLS certificates and cluster spoofed sites on identical IP addresses, primarily hosted via Alibaba and Scloud. These domains share server titles and operate on Nginx, with first-seen DNS queries typically lagging 10.5 hours behind registration times. Infections communicate with command and control domains, highlighting a coordinated infrastructure. The campaign emphasizes the need for behavioral detection and real-time traffic inspection to identify anomalous WebSocket file transfers.

AppWizard

September 24, 2025

Banking Trojans Targeting Android Users Disguise as Government and Trusted Payment Apps

Since August 2024, a financially motivated threat group has targeted Android users in Indonesia and Vietnam by deploying banking trojans disguised as legitimate government identity and payment applications. The campaign utilizes intricate download mechanisms, reuses existing infrastructure, and employs template-based spoofed sites to evade detection while stealing user credentials. Researchers identified the campaign through suspicious HTML elements on counterfeit Google Play Store pages, with notable domains like icrossingappxyz[.]com featuring deceptive download buttons. The download process involved a WebSocket connection that streamed the .apk file in chunks, effectively bypassing network security filters. The downloaded file, often named IdentitasKependudukanDigital.apk, contained a variant of the BankBot.Remo trojan. Additionally, simpler spoofed sites imitated popular regional applications, such as a clone of the M-Pajak tax-payment app hosted on twmlwcs[.]cc, which was also identified as a BankBot loader. Other variants were found on domains like dgpyynxzb[.]com and ykkadm[.]icu, masquerading as legitimate banking applications. Over the past year, researchers identified over 100 domains associated with this campaign, primarily utilizing Alibaba ISP and registered through Gname.com Pte. Ltd. The operational patterns revealed a focus on Indonesian and Vietnamese victims, with domain registration and DNS queries peaking during Eastern Asia daytime hours. The campaign combines advanced obfuscation techniques with mass-template spoofing to circumvent security controls, highlighting the need for user vigilance and monitoring of unusual WebSocket traffic.

AppWizard

August 30, 2025

New way to buy Shinkansen tickets, through messaging app, coming this fall

Japan's bullet trains, known as Shinkansen, are introducing a new ticket purchasing system via text messages through the Line messaging app. Starting on October 4, passengers can reserve tickets for the Tokaido, Sanyo, and Kyushu Shinkansen lines without needing to register for email or customer accounts. Payment will be made through the PayPay app, and travelers will receive a QR or bar code as a digital ticket. A discount of 100 yen (approximately US[openai_gpt model="gpt-4o-mini" prompt="Summarize the content and extract only the fact described in the text bellow. The summary shall NOT include a title, introduction and conclusion. Text: Japan's renowned bullet trains, known as Shinkansen, are celebrated not only for their remarkable speeds but also for the seamless travel experience they offer. Unlike air travel, which often involves lengthy check-in and security procedures, passengers can board a Shinkansen just minutes after arriving at the station, provided they have their tickets in hand. Innovative Ticketing via Messaging In an exciting development for travelers, Japan Railway Company’s JR Central, JR West, and JR Kyushu have announced a new, streamlined method for purchasing Shinkansen tickets. Starting this autumn, passengers will be able to buy their tickets through text messages sent from their smartphones. This innovative system utilizes Line, the leading messaging app among Japanese smartphone users. Unlike traditional online reservations that require email registration and customer accounts, this new method simplifies the process significantly. Travelers need only to add the official JR Line account as a friend within the app to reserve tickets for the Tokaido, Sanyo, and Kyushu Shinkansen lines. These lines connect Tokyo Station to Kagoshima Chuo Station in Kagoshima Prefecture, passing through popular destinations such as Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshima, and Fukuoka. Payment for tickets reserved via Line is facilitated through PayPay, one of Japan's prominent cashless payment applications. Once the payment is completed, passengers receive a QR or bar code that serves as a digital ticket, easily scanned at the station gate. Additionally, travelers can enjoy a modest discount of 100 yen (approximately US[cyberseo_openai model="gpt-4o-mini" prompt="Rewrite a news story for a business publication, in a calm style with creativity and flair based on text below, making sure it reads like human-written text in a natural way. The article shall NOT include a title, introduction and conclusion. The article shall NOT start from a title. Response language English. Generate HTML-formatted content using tag for a sub-heading. You can use only , , , , and HTML tags if necessary. Text: A speedy way to get tickets for Japan’s bullet trains. It’s not just the high speeds that Japan’s bullet trains travel at that makes Shinkansen travel such a joy. Unlike with flying to your destination, there’s no lengthy check-in or security procedure to go through, so as long as you’ve got your ticket, you can be onboard just minutes after arriving at your departure station. Even the process of getting your Shinkansen tickets is about to become easier and more convenient, as Japan Railway Company’s JR Central, JR West, and JR Kyushu have all announced that starting this autumn, you’ll be able to purchase Shinkansen tickets via text messages sent from your phone. The system works with Line, the most popular messaging app among Japanese smartphone users. There will be no need to register your email address with JR or create a customer account (both of which are requirements for ordinary online Shinkansen reservations). Instead, you merely have to register the official JR Line account as a friend within the app, and then you’ll be able to reserve tickets on the Tokaido, Sanyo, and Kyushu Shinkansen lines. These three lines connectively stretch from Tokyo Station all the way west across the country to Kagoshima Chuo Station in Kagoshima Prefecture, passing through top travel destinations such as Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshima, and Fukuoka along the way. Payment for Line-reserved tickets is rendered through PayPay, one of Japan’s largest cashless payment apps, and upon payment you receive a QR or bar code which acts as a digital ticket that you can scan at the station gate. There’s also a 100-yen (approximately US$0.70) discount for tickets reserved through Line, which isn’t going to be a make-or-break factor in anyone’s travel plans, but it’s at least a little something that you can put towards buying some of that famous super-hard Shinkansen ice cream, or maybe a cold drink if you’re sitting in one of the Shinkansen’s weak-air conditioning cars. The Line ticket purchase system launches on October 4, and allows for reservations to be made up to one month ahead of your travel date. Source: JR Central via Nitele News via Livedoor News via Hachima KikoTop image ©SoraNews24● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter! " temperature="0.3"].70) on tickets purchased through Line, providing a small incentive that could contribute to indulging in the famous Shinkansen ice cream or a refreshing drink during the journey. The Line ticket purchase system is set to launch on October 4, allowing travelers to make reservations up to one month in advance of their travel dates. Source: JR Central via Nitele News via Livedoor News via Hachima KikoTop image ©SoraNews24● Want to hear about SoraNews24’s latest articles as soon as they’re published? Follow us on Facebook and Twitter! " max_tokens="3500" temperature="0.7" top_p="1.0" best_of="1" presence_penalty="0.1" frequency_penalty="frequency_penalty"].70) will be available for tickets purchased through Line, and reservations can be made up to one month in advance.

AppWizard

July 29, 2025

CashApp’s cross-platform Pool tool means none of your friends have an excuse for not pitching in

Cash App has introduced a new feature called Pools, designed to facilitate group payments for shared expenses. Users can invite others, including those using Google Pay or Apple Pay, to contribute to a pool for expenses like vacations or gifts. Organizers can name the pool, set a target amount, and once the goal is reached, they can close the pool and transfer the funds. The feature is currently being rolled out to a select group of users, with plans for wider availability soon.