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Games

A Scary 'Pokémon Go' Clone Is Infecting Phones

Some Android users in the UK have been downloading a version of the game that's been modified to help hackers steal personal information.

Pokémon Go has been out for less than a week, but it has already surpassed Tinder's daily active users, sent Nintendo's stock soaring, and given a generation of nostalgia-hungry Pokémon trainers a reason to exercise.

The game still hasn't launched in Europe and Canada, which means impatient players in those areas have had to get a little creative with ways to hack their phone and get the app. Unfortunately, some users have been inadvertently downloading a malicious Pokémon Go clone that could leave their phones wide open for hackers, the Telegraph reports.

The infected version of the game was discovered by Proofpoint, which found that UK Android users had downloaded a clone that was modified to include Droidjack—a remote access tool that can give hackers control of the infected phone.

"This is an extremely risky practice and can easily lead users to installing malicious apps on their own mobile devices," Proofpoint wrote. "Should an individual download an APK from a third party that has been infected with a backdoor, such as the one we discovered, their device would then be compromised."

Proofpoint also laid out a detailed plan for how to check and see if your phone has fallen victim to the malware, so check it out if you're outside the US, Australia, or New Zealand. If you really just can't wait for Pokémon Go to officially launch in your area, it looks like you'll need to prepare for trouble, and make it double.

Read more about the virus over on Motherboard.