APK file
Updated 2026-09-29
An APK (Android Package) file is the installer format for Android apps. Outside the official Google Play Store, scammers send a link or file asking you to “sideload” an APK, often disguised as a courier app, bank update, or government form, which actually installs malware.
When it matters
Once installed, a malicious APK can read your screen, capture typed passwords, and intercept OTP/TAC codes, giving scammers everything needed for an account takeover. If you installed an APK from outside the Play Store or App Store and then noticed unauthorised transactions, put the phone in airplane mode, do not enter any more passwords on it, and act on the first hour after a scam steps immediately.
Read next
APK scam: what to do right now
If you installed an app from a link and your phone or banking now looks wrong, here is what to do in the next few minutes to limit the damage.
Read thisBusiness email compromise: what to do
A supplier or director email asked you to pay a changed bank account. Here is how business email compromise works and the fastest response.
Read thisCrypto scam: what you can do
If a crypto exchange or wallet blocks your withdrawal after you met the operator on a chat app, here is how to trace what happened and what to do next.
Read thisWhat to do right after a scam
If you just realised you sent money to a scam, here is the order of first actions: stop paying, call your bank, call 997, and report it.
Read this