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Alert: Some “free” VPNs are actually malware that steals passwords and can bank OTPs. Delete apps that are risky, change your passwords, and enable 2FA.
Credit : Koto Aatsukami, Shutterstock
How the fake VPN scam empties accounts… If your phone is where you text, shop and do your banking, it’s also where crooks want to be.
The latest trick looks respectable at first glance: a ‘free, unlimited VPN‘ promising privacy and protection. You tap You can install it yourself.You can feel safer by granting a few permissions. In reality, some of these apps are doing the opposite – snooping on notifications (including one-time passcodes), placing fake login screens over your banking app, and quietly sending your passwords and account numbers elsewhere. Researchers report that the number of reports involving these imposters increased by late 2024. That corresponds to what banks have seen: transactions approved even before victims realise something is wrong.
Sales pitches are effective because they sound reasonable. A VPN should protect your traffic. But bandwidth is not free; “unlimited” and truly “free” must be paid for. If your data is that “somehow”, the cost quickly becomes evident.
Six fake ‘free’ VPNs to remove today
Security analysts have identified six VPNs which are not protective. ShieldVPN (also known as ShieldVPN), ProxyGate and MaskVPN are all available.. Some of them appear via sponsored posts or pop-ups. Others are downloaded through messages and even in app stores. Some fake connecting to a web server, so that everything appears legitimate. Meanwhile, the malware works in the backround. You should immediately delete any names that you see on your phone.
What to Do if you see one on your mobile (and how to keep safe)
Don’t panic; just move briskly. Remove the suspect app and then scan your mobile device with a trusted security tool. You should change your passwords for email and banking on a different device, not the one you are fixing. Also enable two-factor authentication. It’s also worth opening your settings and reining in permissions you don’t recognise – things like Accessibility or Notification access can be misused to read codes and overlay fake screens. On Android, check that ‘install from unknown sources’ is off.
Set up alerts to notify you when something strange happens. You should call your bank as soon as you spot a transaction. If it is something you’re not familiar with, you need to follow the fraud process. If the phone still behaves strangely after you’ve cleaned house, back up your photos and reset it to factory settings, then reinstall only the apps you actually use – from official stores.
Pick your privacy tools like you would a bank. Look at who is behind them, their history, and the data they claim to collect. Glance through the recent reviews – genuine ones mention specifics; fake ones sound like they were written by a bot in a hurry. And treat ‘free, unlimited’ with healthy scepticism. Most good VPNs have a small charge because it’s expensive to run servers all around the globe.
You should make sure that your phone is the safest item in your pocket. It shouldn’t be a target for pickpockets. If you have MaskVPN DewVPN PaladinVPN ProxyGate ShieldVPN ShineVPN installed on your device today, clean up your security setting and update your passwords. This will take you less than five minutes, compared to months of trying to recover a stolen identity.
