Authorities in France have arrested a 20-year-old hacker who was defrauding smartphone users via malicious apps.

According to the BBC, the hacker who has been described as “extremely smart”, used fake apps purporting to be popular apps to amass about 500,000 Euros since last year.

Authorities say that the hacker did not study computer science.

The hacker whose name has not been revealed reportedly worked from his parent’s home in Northern France and developed apps which he offered free to download.

The apps stole money from people by sending text messages to premium-rate numbers which the hacker himself set up.

Furthermore, the hacker also reportedly set up apps which collected log-in information for gambling and gaming websites.

According to the BBC, the hacker has admitted to defrauding people using apps but said that he did it because of his “love of computers and an ambition to be a software developer.”

The BBC report also noted that Android users may be the most numerous victims the hacker had.

Image from urbanartcore.eu on Flickr (CC)

About Solon Harmony Dolor

A passion for technology and journalism makes this upcoming writer very interested in social media and technology news. Fresh from finishing an English and Journalism degree from the University of the Philippines Diliman, he aims to bring interesting news to our readers .