What’s the name of the developer? The name usually tells you everything. In fact, any time you are considering downloading an app, always ask yourself these questions: So, going back to our own impersonator, were there any warning signs that could have flagged that phony Avast app as fake? Yes, and excellent question. The above apps all look legit, until you notice the developer’s name on the Messenger one. If it’s a popular app, odds are there is a fake out there impersonating it. But look closer and you’ll see the key differences that make the fakes stand out.Īvast, Waze, Facebook, WhatsApp-no one is safe. At first glance, the logos look similar and the developer’s name for each seems to be WhatsApp. While these have all since been removed from the Google Play Store, they stayed up for longer than you might think, and they did successfully hoodwink unsuspecting users into downloading them.Ĭybercriminals and scammers count on their victims being too busy to notice anything’s amiss.
The perpetrator was a developer named DevTech Inc., an entity that has posted a host of fraudulent apps, including one posing as a Waze plug-in. While it was quickly taken down thanks to a hawk-eyed analyst who reported it, those who downloaded the criminal fake-app soon found themselves awash in a flood of ads, which seemed to be the only real purpose of the phony app.
#FAKE APP REVIEWS ANDROID#
That’s right-the Avast Android app was knocked off and published on the Google Play Store. Turns out even a brand name dedicated to next-gen security, protecting online privacy and fighting cybercrime around the world can find itself in the middle of a fake app scandal. And there’s no better way to do so than by example.
#FAKE APP REVIEWS HOW TO#
In this post, we’ll show you how to spot a fake app before it’s too late. And worse, it may cost more than you imagined. Here’s the reality in which we live: even within a reputable app store (let’s say the Google Play Store, for example), you may not always end up with the purchase you bargained for.
#FAKE APP REVIEWS MAC#
Fake Apps: How to Spot Imposters Before it's Too Late | Avast Logo Ameba Icon Security Icon Security White Icon Privacy Icon Performance Icon Privacy Icon Security Icon Performance Icons/45/01 Security/Other-Threats Icons / 32 / Bloatware removal Icons / 32 / Registry Cleaner Icons / 32 / CleanUp Icons / Feature / 32 / Mac Icons / 32 / Browser cleanup Icons/32/01 Security/Malware Icons/32/01 Security/Viruses Icons/32/01 Security/Other-Threats Icons/32/01 Security/Passwords Icons/32/01 Security/Ransomware Icons/32/01 Security/Business Icons/32/02 Privacy/Browser Icons/32/02 Privacy/IP adress Icons/32/02 Privacy/VPN Icons/32/02 Privacy/Proxy Icons/32/02 Privacy/Streaming Icons/32/03 Performance/Celaning Icons/32/03 Performance/Drivers Icons/32/03 Performance/Gaming Icons/32/03 Performance/Hardware Icons/32/03 Performance/Speed Icons / 32 / Bloatware removal Icons / 32 / Registry Cleaner Win Icons / 32 / CleanUp Icons / Feature / 32 / Mac Icons / 32 / Browser cleanup Icons/60/02 Privacy/02_Privacy Icons/60/01 Security/01_Security Icons/60/03 Performance/03_Performance Icons/80/01 Security/IoT Icons/80/01 Security/Malware Icons/80/01 Security/Passwords Icons/80/01 Security/Ransomware Icons/80/01 Security/Viruses Icons/80/01 Security/Other-Threats Icons/80/03 Security/Business Icons/80/02 Privacy/Browser Icons/80/02 Privacy/IP adress Icons/80/02 Privacy/VPN Icons/80/02 Privacy/Proxy Icons/80/02 Privacy/Streaming Icons/80/03 Performance/Celaning Icons/80/03 Performance/Drivers Icons/80/03 Performance/Gaming Icons/80/03 Performance/Hardware Icons/80/03 Performance/Speed Icons/80/03 Performance/03_Performance Icons/80/02 Privacy/02_Privacy