Fake LocalBitcoins Android App is Phishing For Bitcoins

[OmegaStarScream]

A fake LocalBitcoins app is being distributed on the Google Play store in a bid to steal user bitcoins.
You can find more information's about this on Coindesk : http://www.coindesk.com/fake-localbitcoins-android-app-is-phishing-for-your-bitcoins/

I personally don't use their application (not even the website) but I read it and just wanted to share it with you in case you don't already know .

[LiteCoinGuy]

thx for the warning

[MbitSport]

i was going to use these guys (the website) the other day, but changed my mind at the last minute and opted for a bitcoin ATM instead.

[mr angry]

I thought everything on Google Play was safe because they had checked it before accepting it. Thanks for warning us it's not safe.

I assume they have Android Bitcoin wallets on Google Play. What are the well known safe free ones as I'm considering using one? Are there any fake ones I should stay away from besides the one in the OP?

[alani123]

How did this end up approved and released by the store?

[teddy5145]

How did this end up approved and released by the store?

Believe it or not it's really easy to put your app on google play

The best way we can do right now is to report to google play so the app will be removed asap
I already reported for a scam app, you guys should do it too

[MbitSport]

I thought everything on Google Play was safe because they had checked it before accepting it. Thanks for warning us it's not safe.

I assume they have Android Bitcoin wallets on Google Play. What are the well known safe free ones as I'm considering using one? Are there any fake ones I should stay away from besides the one in the OP?

ive recently been warned about blockchain.info wallet app, and the Apple IOS Version of Mycelium wallet (though some reasearch leads me to believe the android one is fine, & is also listed on bitcoin.org, i was planning on starting a thread for users to advise on the best wallet of choice for both IOS & Android.

@Teddy5145

How do you report the app? can i do in on my web browser? i assume the more people that report it the faster its removed.

[Raimonn]

Thanks for the advice, i suposed that all the apps downloaded from Google Play were safe and revised for google.

[mr angry]

I thought everything on Google Play was safe because they had checked it before accepting it. Thanks for warning us it's not safe.

I assume they have Android Bitcoin wallets on Google Play. What are the well known safe free ones as I'm considering using one? Are there any fake ones I should stay away from besides the one in the OP?

ive recently been warned about blockchain.info wallet app, and the Apple IOS Version of Mycelium wallet (though some reasearch leads me to believe the android one is fine, & is also listed on bitcoin.org, i was planning on starting a thread for users to advise on the best wallet of choice for both IOS & Android.

@Teddy5145

How do you report the app? can i do in on my web browser? i assume the more people that report it the faster its removed.

I have only heard the Mycelium wallet's name before, probably off bitcoin.org, but I haven't heard any reviews about it. Finding reviews for smart phone wallets is harder than for laptop wallets because more people prefer to use laptops for large amounts of Bitcoins.

[DarkHyudrA]

How did this end up approved and released by the store?

Because no app is approved or verified on the play store.
On the first report of an abuse or something like that Google will take a closer look first before it removes.

[Mickeyb]

This is crazy, I was just looking at this application the other day and haven't installed it since I didn't have any place on my android. I am using localbitcoins quite a lot as well.

Thanks OP for the warning!

[bitcoin revo]

Looks like the developers of the fraudulent app are either buying positive votes or creating fake Google accounts to make positive reviews. They have quite a few of them; I was personally thrown off track for a moment because of the large amount of positive votes.

How did this end up approved and released by the store?

Because no app is approved or verified on the play store.
On the first report of an abuse or something like that Google will take a closer look first before it removes.

I would think that Google at least checks over the app for a brief moment to make sure it's not impersonating any large businesses (e.g. CNN, Google, Wells Fargo, etc.) and do a basic scan for viruses.

[NorrisK]

I hope this gets taken offline seriously fast...

Also, this will become more and more dangerous as people are shifting from desktops and laptops to mobile platforms..

Maybe the developers of the apps should include a pgp key? Atleast we can check if it is for real..

[silverleafy]

How did this end up approved and released by the store?

Because no app is approved or verified on the play store.
On the first report of an abuse or something like that Google will take a closer look first before it removes.

Google (and apple for that matter) will check apps so that they fit their T&C and are not viruses. They can't really do much else to verify whether an app is scamming or a fake since that is hard to determine automatically. Doing that needs a person to check the apps, and they don't have enough time or people for that.

[SFR10]

Thanks for alerting us with this application as it could result to many losing their bitcoins (Some already)... half of the comments there are misleading as their only fake comments saying it works and the other half complaining the loss of their bitcoin... I think if you move this thread to Scam Accusations section it could help into being noticed by users

[DarkHyudrA]

How did this end up approved and released by the store?

Because no app is approved or verified on the play store.
On the first report of an abuse or something like that Google will take a closer look first before it removes.

Google (and apple for that matter) will check apps so that they fit their T&C and are not viruses. They can't really do much else to verify whether an app is scamming or a fake since that is hard to determine automatically. Doing that needs a person to check the apps, and they don't have enough time or people for that.

You're right except that Apple truly have human verification.
Sending an app the the App Store take at least 30 days, if you're lucky enough to not have nothing that needs to be changed, so it means another "at least 30 days".

[aakashsangwan]

recently i sold my bitcoins through localbitcoins did not faced any problem, but i used the transaction through online from my desktop. , and the transaction got through escrow after i received the payment i released the bitcoins. i did not faced any problem.

[gentlemand]

Considering how happy google is to take money for phishing adsense ads, witness the multiple fake blockchain.info sites at the top of search results, I wonder if they're more diligent with the play store.

[tiggytomb]

Thanks for the warning, I just saw this story on my twitter feed.  I think Google just looks to make sure it is virus free and is not a gambling app and does not go against their t&cs so it is a bit of a playground. 

[BTC Tipster]

A fake LocalBitcoins app is being distributed on the Google Play store in a bid to steal user bitcoins.
You can find more information's about this on Coindesk : http://www.coindesk.com/fake-localbitcoins-android-app-is-phishing-for-your-bitcoins/

I personally don't use their application (not even the website) but I read it and just wanted to share it with you in case you don't already know .

Thank you for the notice, Lets keep this thread active by posting in it