3 posts
ESET researchers discovered a cluster of 28 fraudulent Android applications, dubbed CallPhantom, that accumulated over 7.3 million downloads on Google Play. These apps deceive users by falsely claiming to retrieve call and message logs for arbitrary phone numbers, instead presenting hardcoded, randomly generated data to extort subscription payments via Google Play billing, UPI, or direct card entry.
The article highlights the critical role of money mule accounts in Authorized Push Payment (APP) fraud and scams, which bypass traditional breach-based detection by manipulating victims into authorizing payments. It advocates for an intelligence-led approach, utilizing agentic personas to proactively identify and verify mule accounts before fraudulent transactions occur, thereby mitigating financial losses and addressing growing regulatory pressures.
Since August 2025, a sophisticated phishing campaign has targeted senior professionals by impersonating Palo Alto Networks recruiters. Attackers use scraped LinkedIn data to build rapport, then falsely claim the victim's resume failed an Applicant Tracking System (ATS), ultimately soliciting fees for fraudulent resume optimization services.
