Finland's Transport and Communications Agency (Traficom) is warning about an ongoing Android malware campaign attempting to breach online bank accounts.
The agency has highlighted multiple cases of SMS messages written in Finnish that instruct recipients to call a number. The scammer who answers the call instructs victims to install a McAfee app for protection.
The messages are supposedly sent from banks or payment service providers like MobilePay, and they use spoofing technology to appear as if they come from a domestic telecom operator or local network.
However, the McAfee app is malware that will allow threat actors to breach victim's bank accounts.
"According to reports received by the Cyber Security Center, targets are encouraged to download a McAfee application,"
reads the notice. (machine translated)
"The download link offers an .apk application hosted outside the app store for Android devices. However, this is not antivirus software but malware to be installed on the phone."
The OP Financial Group, a major financial service provider in the country, has also
issued an alert on its website about the deceitful messages impersonating banks or national authorities.
The police also highlighted the threat, warning that the malware enables its operators to log in to the victim's banking account and transfer money. In one case, a victim
lost 95,000 euros ($102,000).
Traficom says the campaign targets exclusively Android devices, and there's no separate infection chain for Apple iPhone users.
