507/69 Tuesday, September 15, 2026
Bitdefender has released a report identifying numerous Android apps in Google Play Early Access that may deceive users, including fake casino games, reward apps, money-making apps, misleading utility apps, and apps that may infringe trademarks of well-known brands or games. Early Access is intended to allow developers to test apps before official release. However, users cannot leave public comments or star ratings, leaving other users without information that could help warn them about suspicious behavior before installation.
Some of the apps were promoted through advertisements on TikTok, Facebook, and other social media platforms. Some ads used AI-generated deepfake videos of well-known individuals to persuade users to install the apps. Several apps used reward-based lures such as PayPal payouts, cryptocurrency earnings, gift cards, free spins, or jackpots. In many cases, in-app reward balances increased quickly at first, but progress slowed significantly as users approached the withdrawal threshold, and users did not receive the promised rewards. Meanwhile, the apps continued displaying advertisements to generate revenue for the developers.
Android users should be cautious when installing apps marked as Early Access, especially those offering cash rewards, cryptocurrency returns, casino games, or names and images resembling well-known brands. Users should review developer information and app details before installation and should not rely solely on the fact that an app is published on Google Play as proof of trustworthiness. The report highlights how Early Access features may be abused to help potentially deceptive apps avoid scrutiny from public reviews. However, this does not mean that all Early Access apps are malware or harmful. Bitdefender stated that it has reported its findings to Google, and the matter is under review.
Source: https://hackread.com/google-play-early-access-abuse-suspicious-android-apps/