REDMOND, Wash., Dec. 14 (UPI) -- U.S. technology giant Microsoft said it is giving away five free phones to consumers who can tell the most horrifying story about a rival operating system.
With concern over malware scams for Android users on the rise, Microsoft is taking advantage of consumer fears with a contest announced on Twitter, PCWorld reported Wednesday.
Concern over malware is currently focused on programs that resemble Angry Birds and other popular applications, but then send expensive text messages to short message service numbers, the magazine said.
Google has found and removed 22 apps that are part of the so-called RuFraud scam that has been in circulation in Europe, but not North America, PCWorld said.
Watchdog company Lookout Security has also found five additional malicious programs.
Internet protection firms, such as Lookout Security and McAfee have said corrupt programs designed to exploit Android operating systems are proliferating. Lookout said U.S. consumers using Android devices have a 40 percent change of clicking on a malicious program. McAfee said malware for Android systems surged 37 percent from the second to the third quarter of the year.