As my app ("Thief Face Trap Mini", TFTM, com.terboel.tftm) does not seem to
have any more spy-like features than similar apps - such as "Wheres My
Droid", "Android Lost", "Prey", "Find My Phone", "GotYa Face Trap &
Security", or even "Avast Anti-theft" - I assume that it was NOT removed
because of its features. Then it must have been removed because Google
suspected that it contained a virus (or malware).
When I started scanning this app using different AntiVirus apps, I saw to
my surprise that some of them indeed listed it as a Virus. Some even
characterized it as a Trojan!
See
https://www.virustotal.com/en/file/6346C6F089551B8D3DE3EF80D44134DCBC1FB3DC5E7D1DF44A0B19A6BBA490CC/analysis/
where I also have posted a comment. This is a web site owned by Google,
where anyone can scan an app using most known AntiVirus apps.
As I have witten all of this app myself, I am quite certain that it does
NOT contain any virus or malware.
It seemed that some AntiVirus app first THOUGHT that it detected a virus in
mye app - possibly because it at some time contained a string with the
letters LMPM, which MAY (incorrectly) have been associated with a LMPM
Windows Trojan Virus. As many of the AntiVirus Apps copy from each other,
it was not long before several of them reported my app as being a high risk
virus or malware.
I tried to appeal to Google, claiming that any virus listing must be caused
by a FALSE POSITIVE, but Google said that they would not reinstate the app,
and that their decision was not appealable.
So, now I have started trying to get the AntiVirus publishers to REMOVE my
app from their list of viruses and malware. Which is much harder than I
though.
So far a few publishers of AntiVirus Apps have tested it - and removed it
from their list of viruses. That includes BitDefender, QuickHeal and
ForeSafe. E.g. check this:
http://sandbox.foresafe.com/2014/03/comterboeltftm_5.html
Others do not even reply to my removal request, and some even claim that my
app is really a virus - or at least a PUP (Potentially Unwanted Program) or
PUA (Potentially Unwanted Application). Strangely enough, they seem to be
unwilling to remove a FALSE POSITIVE. One should think that it would
increase the quality of their AntiVirus Apps - and make them more
trustworthy, but I do not understand how they are thinking. After having
seen how lightly some of them list an innocent app as a virus, I have
doubts about their quality.
I write this because it may be of interest of other app developers - as it
could easily also happen to their apps - and because I hope that the Google
Play Support may also read this. If I should ever succeed in removing this
app from being listed (as a virus) by ALL Android AntiVirus Apps, I still
hope to get Google to reinstate my app.
Regards, Terry
On Tuesday, March 11, 2014 7:24:58 AM UTC+1, Terry wrote:
>
> Google has removed my app from the Play Store.
>
> Now I would like to know WHY.
>
> The Reason for Removal was "Dangerous Product".
>
> The app is the free "Theif Face Trap Mini", or TFTM, with
> id=com.terboel.tftm
>
> For those who would have a look at it, it can still be found at various
> places, e.g. at the 1Mobile Market.
>
> Regards, Terry
>
>
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