Playstore malware Wordtrip & "System Update for Android" by Arum communications - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: MrMobodies
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 23, 2025, 12:31:25 am
content: My dad asked me something was a scam, it was a scareware thing on a webpage. He said it'd appear everytime he play this game called WordTrip.https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=in.playsimple.wordtrip&hl=en_GBI thought there was more to it before I got the information straight that it only did it with this game but I found other things posing as system utilities that I uninstalled.Looking though I find a bunch of InApp/Ad supported games I uninstalled, Carkit and I thought lets find out which services are uninstallable. You never know you might find something disguised as a system utility, service or driver like what I use to find with Windows and the malware that use to come from "FREE" games around the 2010's.I found this thing which looked to me like it was a system utility by the manufacturer but has an uninstall then I got suspicious.https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.arumcomm.playservicesinfo&hl=en_GBSystem Update for Android Arum CommunicationsContains ads In-app purchasesHe don't remember installing this and didn't know what it was for.Someone else thought the same too as being disguised:https://support.google.com/android/thread/289477735/arum-communications-android-system-update?hl=enQuoteand checkout the reviews of those reporting they never remembered installing it and getting messages about viruses's being hacked and so on:QuoteQuoteQuoteQuoteQuoteQuoteQuoteQuoteAnother thing I am worried about:QuoteWell that is NOT VERY SAFE if it is getting installed without their consent and disguised as other things.The game which I think it started does similar in the advertising which suggest they might be a vulnerability.https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=in.playsimple.wordtrip&hl=en_GBSuprise SurpiseQuoteThat'd could be that thing or something like it.QuoteQuoteQuoteQuote*Assumes control of the user's device and their input.QuoteQuoteQuoteLooks to me like a NETWORK of malware.Absolutely terrible. I hope Google does something about this. Advertising is one thing, exposing people to malware sites is another, ALLOWING something to be installed within the game intentionally and forced or without the user's knowledge consent (in the same manner as the adverts) sounds to me like vulnerability and unsafe. Basically they have assumed permissions to do what they like once installed.My dad did install this word game which could have in turn installed the other things and that "System update" package. All he saw was the browser opening up and don't remember approving the other things like from the reviews above.Sorry how long this post is. I am very worried and convinced they had copied his personal stuff from his phone.I did warn him not to do download these "FREE" games from my experience where adverts take over and one things leads to another and here we are.With the negative complaints about what it does and I don't mean the adverts I am surprise they are still there and still allowed to do this.QuoteQuoteI see the game what looks like it from India and the System update thing from South Korea so not from the same place.Do you think he should factory reset his phone and change the passwords to what accounts he'd been using on it?