Anti virus on a android cellphone
 

My phone (and I think most all android phones) came with the green shield icon that scans every app I upload before installing it.

So yesterday I was waiting at the Dr. office and playing my favorite (and only) game I have on my phone, video poker. It is a free app so it has commercials scrolling across in a small banner at the top.

Often the banner add says something like "virus detected!!! Click here to clean"
I just write those off to phishing scams and ignore just like any add in the sidebar.

But this time, for the first time, my phone was possessed and I got a full screen alert to a virus and no easy way to exit that screen. I just rebooted the phone and it has been working fine... so far.

Should I be concerned or are the spamers just stepping up their game?

TIA

I use Norton on my phone.

Through no fault of my own...my business uses Norton Anti-Virus. It comes with the internet connection. They also provide the NAV for Android as part of the package. It scans everything that is loaded on the device. It does have an assessment for each program, and notes which send data.

Not really a recommendation, but it's worth what you pay for it...

I guess the next question is there a free anti virus app?

Pop up ad not vetted by the ad network that is providing in app monetization for the "free" version of the app.

Email the app developer because it's **** like that that will eventually hurt his revenue stream.

This is what I am thinking, I have been using smart phones for a decade and never used an anti-virus (other than the pre-loaded one that comes from the factory).

From my understanding is its nearly impossible to get a virus on a IOS or android device by malware. Everything that gets installed has to come from the apple store or the google store. Windows devices are likely screwed. That's what I found reading about antivirus stuff for phones. They sell you worthless antivirus phone software.

With android don't you have to manually allow the .apk package to install with settings? Those screens saying you have a virus are just to scare you. They freeze your screen by likely using up all of the memory on your phone so you can't exit that screen.