Aftercall ads are driving Android users crazy

Aftercall is a wave of deceptive Android apps on Google Play that pose as everyday tools while bombarding users with pop-up ads after every phone call. When an unexpected ad pops up every time you hang up a call, it will slowly drive you crazy, especially if you can’t figure out what’s causing it. The ads appear outside the app’s normal context, making it difficult for users to identify and remove the culprit. Researchers investigating the campaign discovered a collection of these apps that masquerade as alarm clocks, calendars, and other seemingly harmless apps. After installation, they ask for permission to “appear on top” of other apps. That means they can show a full-screen ad every time you end a call, then hide themselves, making them difficult for users to find and uninstall. Because the ads appear after you end a call, the researchers dubbed the campaign “Aftercall.” How the Aftercall scheme works Think of these apps as fake helpers that piggyback on your phone calls purely to generate ad impressions. The apps disguise themselves as alarm clocks, calendars, note-taking apps, cleaners, or “super fast” messaging apps and are distributed through the Google Play Store. Researchers found dozens of new apps released every month, collectively responsible for hundreds of millions of ad impressions. They trick users into granting overlay permissions. Because Android doesn’t allow this permission to be granted through a standard pop-up, the app has to direct users into Settings, where they must enable it manually. To persuade them, the apps invent plausible reasons. One researcher explained : “In one example, the alarm app explains that it needs to go off even when the phone is locked – without granting permission, alarms might not appear correctly. Another app, a calendar, doesn’t even leave users a choice – it simply closes, unless they grant the permission.” Some of these apps also request full-screen notification permissions, allowing them to show ads even when the device is locked. Aftercall apps monitor the phone’s call state. When it changes from “ringing” to “idle,” indicating that a call has ended, they immediately launch an activity using their overlay permission to pop a screen over everything else and show an ad. To make the ads seem more legitimate, they wrap them in a fake “call info” screen, complete with caller details, a fake profile picture, and text suggesting the ad relates to the app’s functionality. For the user, this feels like some new post-call feature rather than an unrelated app showing adverts. They hide to avoid detection and removal. Aftercall apps remove themselves from the “Recent apps” list so when users try the usual “swipe away the suspicious app” approach, they don’t see anything obvious. How to stay safe Besides being incredibly annoying for users, the Aftercall campaign also wastes advertisers’ money. After all, would you buy something pushed in this way? If you see ads pop up right after you end a call, especially alongside fake “call info,” check which apps have the “appear on top” or overlay permissions. The exact steps vary depending on your phone manufacturer and Android version, but you can usually find them by looking at Settings > Apps > More options (3 vertical dots) > Special access > Appear on top. Look for apps you don’t recognize, rarely use, or that shouldn’t need overlay access, such as a simple notes app, clock, or cleaner. Disable their “Allow to appear on top” or “Display over other apps” permission. If you’re confident you’ve identified the culprit, uninstall it. Use an up-to-date, real-time anti-malware app for your device to detect and remove malicious apps. When installing apps, think carefully before granting permissions. Does the app really need the access it’s asking for to perform its function? Finally, make sure Google Play Protect is enabled so it can regularly scan apps for known malicious behavior. Open the Google Play Store app on your phone. Tap your profile icon in the top-right corner. Tap Play Protect . Look at the main screen or tap the Settings gear icon to see if Scan apps with Play Protect is turned on. Scammers know more about you than you think. Malwarebytes Mobile Security protects you from phishing, scam texts, malicious sites, and more. With real-time AI-powered Scam Guard built right in. Download for iOS → Download for Android → About the author Was a Microsoft MVP in consumer security for 12 years running. Can speak four languages. Smells of rich mahogany and leather-bound books.