Where Are the Ads?
Here are a few ways ads show up in apps:
The screen is interrupted by an ad.An ad blocks a corner of the screen.You must view an ad before you can use the app.You must view an ad to do something you want within the app (such as complete a level in a game).
Push Notification Ads
Push alerts, push notifications, and notification spam are terms that describe spammers’ use of Android functionality to do some annoying things when you’re not actively using the app. This feature is a good thing when it performs actions you want, such as notifying you of new email messages. But, it’s not so good when used to sell products you don’t want or fool you into thinking you’re clicking on a legitimate product update alert when you’re actually launching a process to sign up for a service that will cost money.
Icon Spam Ads
Another type of spam was so bad that it was banned on Google Play. However, it’s possible you’ll encounter it if you install older versions of apps from a third-party app store. These ads show up on the home screen as icons, as though you downloaded a new app when you actually didn’t. They may show up when you downloaded another app, and the phony one is tied to an ad network that creates fake icons. Some of these phony icons may link to an app market that isn’t Google Play.
Get Rid of Spamming Apps
To detect spam-generating apps, try an ad network detector such as Ad Detector. These apps won’t delete offending spam apps, but they tell you which ones cause problems, and you can choose to delete them. When choosing an ad network detector, pay attention to the ratings and review comments to make sure you’re not accidentally downloading another spam generator.
