These eight Android apps make unauthorized purchases and need to be uninstalled now!

Malware was discovered hidden in eight Android apps with a total of 700,000 installs. The app not only stole users' text messages, it also made unauthorized purchases using the victims' own money. Security firm McAfee said that the apps were listed in the Google Play Store in Southwest Asia and the Arabian Peninsula before it teamed up with Google to have them removed.

McAfee said that the infected apps were disguised as photo editors, wallpapers, puzzles, keyboard skins, and other camera-related apps. To get past the Google bouncers, the apps would be clean when submitted to the Play Store, and various updates added the malicious code later on. But once again, our tried and true way to find malicious apps would have kept you from being charged for purchases that you didn't authorize and taken to the cleaners.

If you're a loyal PhoneArena reader you know that we often tell you that browsing through the comments section for red flags can save you from installing a malicious and problematic app. Look at the comments that accompany this article and you'll see perfect examples of what you should look for. McAfee calls this malware Android/Etinu.

McAfee says that Etinu is similar to another family of Android malware known as Joker which also hijacks text messages and makes unauthorized purchases while the victim pays. Even though Google removed them from the Play Store, they can still be on your phone. The eight apps that need to be uninstalled if found on your Android device include:

McAfee says, "The McAfee Mobile Research team continues to monitor these threats and protect customers by analyzing potential malware and working with app stores to remove it. Further, using McAfee Mobile Security can detect such threats and protect you from them via its regular updates. However, it’s important to pay attention to apps that request SMS-related permissions and Notification Listener permissions...legitimate photo and wallpaper apps simply won’t ask for those because they’re not necessary for such apps to run."

If a permission request seems suspicious, and you've already found come negative comments from users, run as far away from the app as you can.

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