@grote "In these scenarios, scammers exploit fear – using threats of financial ruin, legal trouble, or harm to a loved one – to create a sense of extreme urgency."
In these scenarios, Google exploits fear – using threats of financial ruin, legal trouble, or harm to a loved one – to justify taking control over your phone.
"According to a 2025 report from the Global Anti-Scam Alliance (GASA), 57% of surveyed adults experienced a scam in the past year, resulting in a global consumer loss of $442 billion."
We don't have any data on harm being caused specifically by sideloading apps, so here is some completely unrelated data that is very worrying.