Unfortunately, Android devices are more susceptible to being hacked than other mobile devices. Android firmware is designed to be more flexible and customizable compared to alternative firmware versions, such as iOS, but this also opens the door to hackers and malware — it’s much easier to design and distribute malware to Android devices, partly due to flaws in the operating system, and also because Android app stores are often less regulated, especially when compared to Apple’s App Store (which is notorious for its stringent security tests).
To protect yourself against malicious apps, I recommend using Norton Mobile Security. Not only does it have a powerful malware scanner, but it also alerts you to suspicious apps before you download and install them.