There is a new fake virus scare in the Android market called Tapsnake which is actually an old Virus reported in 2010. This fake Tapsnake virus scare is being spread through certain websites which when visited a pop up box appears and mentions that your Android device is affected by ‘Trojan: MobileOS/Tapsnake’ and a free antivirus is being offered to get rid of the virus with a countdown times also shown.

People are getting fooled by the Fake Virus Scare and are downloading the App through this pop up box

Trojan: MobileOS/Tapsnake is completely FAKE and this is just a trick to make Android phone and Tablet users to download Apps.

We have tested this by opening the same site where we got this threat in our Android Phone and we got the same alert in the pop up box and as Trojan: Tapsnake is a Virus which affects the android OS this alert is fake and just a way to make users download and instal Apps.

The Fake Virus Alert looks like this:

Text shown in the image:

ANDROID VIRUS DETECTED

A site you recently visited has infected your phone with (Trojan: MobileOS/Tapsnake)

Press OK to remove the threat.

If you have already downloaded the app after seeing this message in your device, there is no need to panic as nothing harmful might not have happened but just that you have downloaded an App by clicking on the Install App now button in the Pop up box which have seen earlier.

This technique is called as “Scareware” which makes people believe that a Virus or Spyware has been downloaded and installed on your device from the site you have visited and it asks you install Antivirus App which is actually some other App which is being installed on your device.

How to know if it is the Real Tapsnake Trojan Virus:

If you have made the mistake of installing the real Tapesnake Trojan Virus in your Android device you will know immediately why the Virus is named Tapsnake as you will see a retro Snake Game on your device and the Virus is mainly to Spy on your Location and when the virus infects your device your location will be shared with the person who wants to know your Location.

What should be done to remove the Tapsnake Virus and to avoid getting it in your Phone ?

Installing a Reputed Anti Virus like McAfee Antivirus, Norton antivirus is recommended and not to install some illegal version of the antivirus. Go for legitimate virus from Play Store or any valid App Store.

Never install any illegal or apps from apk files etc which might be a source of these kind of Viruses.