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Owners of Android smartphones could be at risk from hidden cyber attacks that use porn to make scammers huge amounts of cash.

According to security firm ESET, fake versions of popular apps such as GTA and Subway Surfers are appearing on the Google Play Store.

Once downloaded these legitimate looking apps use porn clickers to open adult websites in the background of the phone.

ESET researcher Lukas Stefanko says that it's a huge problem for the Google Store with cyber criminals continuing to upload fake apps to the platform every week.

During their latest research the team at ESET found more than 30 bogus versions of Subway Surfers and more than 60 fake GTA applications.

These apps have nothing in common with the official games are simply used to entice fans to download them.

Speaking about the issues Lukas said: "This is not the first time these Trojans have appeared on Google Play; they are clearly part of a well-organised campaign.

"We should only expect the e-criminals behind this malware to continue updating their versions to find new ways to bypass Google's security tests and to trick consumers,"

Hackers use these fake apps to open an invisible browser session visiting porn sites without the user ever knowing.

They also trick the owner into clicking on ads which then makes the owners of the sites even more cash.

ESET says that before you download an app you should always read the reviews and be wary of any with poor comments.

Google is aware of this growing problem but ESET says that the issue is just too widespread to stop it.

"Google's security team of course fights this campaign and takes the apps off the store pretty frequently, but considering how widespread porn clickers are on the Google Play Store, it is clear that neither the Google Bouncer filter, nor Google's human review process, can keep malicious apps completely out of the Store,"

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