The Android operating system for mobile technology such as phones and tablets is the most popular in the world with consumers so it is no surprise that it is also immensely popular with scammers seeking to exploit any vulnerabilities they can find toward their own illegal ends.  The security company FireEye recently found more than 5 million Android apps were vulnerable to being hacked.  Because Android apps are developed with open-source coding, it is a simple matter for hackers to make counterfeit apps that appear to be legitimate apps with which people may be familiar, but which are infected with malware that can steal financial data or otherwise make you susceptible to identity theft or other scams.

TIPS

One of the best precautions you can take to prevent yourself from becoming the victim of a malware infected app is to limit where you get your apps from to sources you know that should be safe such as Google Play or the Apple app store although some malicious apps can, in some instances, survive the scrutiny of these legitimate app stores.  It should be noted that Apple products which use the iOS operating system are also becoming a more popular target of hackers as these devices grow in popularity.  Android users should also utilize antivirus software for an extra level of protection against malicious apps.  Here is a link to  a source for free anti-virus software for your Android phone.  http://www.androidcentral.com/top-free-antivirus-apps-android