I accidentally installed an app sent to me by a scammer on WhatsApp during a call about an electricity bill name change. After giving it some permissions, I quickly realized it might be a scam, deleted the app, and hung up the call. Now I'm worried about how much trouble I'm in. Should I change the passwords for all my banking apps, Gmail, Yahoo, etc., because of this?
4 Answers
If you’re using a mobile device, a factory reset is crucial here. Once you've done that, change passwords for any accounts you logged into on that phone. Better safe than sorry!
First off, it’s a good idea to factory reset your phone just to be safe. After that, definitely change all your passwords for accounts accessed on that phone. Also, enabling two-factor authentication wherever possible is a smart move to add an extra layer of security.
I’m curious about how you downloaded that app. It seems like there might have been a way to prevent that from happening—like Google Play Protect should have flagged it. In general, try to avoid apps from unknown sources!
Yeah, they sent me an APK file over WhatsApp. I should've thought twice before installing it.
Lol, that’s such a classic scammer tactic! But seriously, make sure to take the necessary precautions. Better to be safe than sorry!
Got it, your phone might be old and could have had settings that made it easier to agree to those permissions.