I tend to take a careful, almost parental approach when something dodgy like a compromised game APK shows up. My first priority is preserving irreplaceable stuff: I plug the phone into my PC and pull off photos, texts, and contacts using MTP or a backup utility, but I never back up APKs or anything that could be infected. Then I disable connectivity so the app can’t phone home, and boot into Safe Mode to stop third‑party processes from running while I investigate.
Next, I open Settings and look for odd apps, especially ones I didn’t install. Check App permissions — anything asking for SMS, device admin, accessibility, or call privileges without a good reason is suspicious. If the app can be uninstalled normally, remove it and clear storage/cache. I also run a scan with a trusted scanner like 'Malwarebytes' or 'Kaspersky' from
the play Store (or sideload their APK from the vendor if Play Store access is a concern). If the malware resists removal or keeps coming back, I prepare for a factory reset: ensure my backups are clean, remove accounts, then reset and only reinstall apps from official stores.
After the device is clean, I change passwords for important accounts and check for unauthorized charges or messages. If you ever feel out of depth, taking the phone to a service center for a reflash of stock firmware is worth the cost. It’s tedious, but I’d rather spend an afternoon restoring things than deal with silent data leaks; peace of mind is priceless to me.