How to Avoid Android Spam

Some innocent-seeming apps are actually wolves in sheep's clothing

By
Marziah Karch
Marziah Karch
Marziah Karch
Writer
  • Michigan State University
  • Emporia State University
Marziah Karch is a former writer for Lifewire who also excels at Serious Game Design and develops online help systems, manuals, and interactive training modules.
lifewire's editorial guidelines
Updated on February 22, 2021

What to Know

  • Free apps contain ads that may interrupt the screen or block part of the screen. Or, they require viewing or an action.
  • Other types of spam: Push notification spam pops up when you're not using the app. Icon spam ads link to unsavory sites.
  • To detect spam, consider an ad network detector such as Ad Detector, and download only from Google Play or a trusted site.

This article explains how to recognize, avoid, and get rid of spam on Android devices. We also cover how these types of spam work and what you can do to prevent them. The information included covers all Android phones no matter who made your device: Samsung, Google, Huawei, Xiaomi, etc.

Where Are the Ads?

Here are a few ways ads show up in apps:

  • The screen is interrupted by an ad.
  • An ad blocks a corner of the screen.
  • You must view an ad before you can use the app.
  • You must view an ad to do something you want within the app (such as complete a level in a game).

Many apps have paid versions that are inexpensive. When you pay for the app, the ads no longer appear.

Push Notification Ads

Push alerts, push notifications, and notification spam are terms that describe spammers' use of Android functionality to do some annoying things when you're not actively using the app. This feature is a good thing when it performs actions you want, such as notifying you of new email messages.

But, it's not so good when used to sell products you don't want or fool you into thinking you're clicking on a legitimate product update alert when you're actually launching a process to sign up for a service that will cost money.

Icon Spam Ads

Another type of spam was so bad that it was banned on Google Play. However, it's possible you'll encounter it if you install older versions of apps from a third-party app store.

If you use the Android OS, the only place you should download apps from is Google Play. There may be exceptions, such as a proprietary app used by your employer. Only use outside sources you trust.

These ads show up on the home screen as icons, as though you downloaded a new app when you actually didn't. They may show up when you downloaded another app, and the phony one is tied to an ad network that creates fake icons. Some of these phony icons may link to an app market that isn't Google Play.

Get Rid of Spamming Apps

To detect spam-generating apps, try an ad network detector such as Ad Detector. These apps won't delete offending spam apps, but they tell you which ones cause problems, and you can choose to delete them. When choosing an ad network detector, pay attention to the ratings and review comments to make sure you're not accidentally downloading another spam generator.

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