Identifying and Avoiding Fake Apps

[XenoFever]

What is the first thing an individual does when he gets a new phone? Yes! Out of excitement, he starts downloading all types of applications in his phone, for example: wallpaper apps, game apps and other social apps. BUT in all this excitement, he forgets about the security of his phone and the data stored in the device. STOP and wait for a minute or two because there are a number of fake apps out there. A good look at the application before downloading it into your system will do no harm. The availability of an app on Google Play Store or App store doesn’t confirm it’s authenticity.

Ways you can do to avoid fake apps
1. Straight to the source - When you are going to download apps on your phone, always be careful when doing it, to make yourself feel comfortable on installing apps on your phone, you may visit the creator's official website because for sure if it is really legit the creator would put the information of the apps on their website.
2. Word of Mouth and Recommendations - If you cannot find the right website of the application, you may do some research or some reviews about the application, if it is really good you will so many positive feedback for it.
3. In the Details - You may be able to know fake apps just by diligently reading descriptions and viewing the images. Real companies usually proofread descriptions carefully and publish only clear, professional screenshots, always check the grammar and the format of the text, it should be in formal format.
4. Did I Download the Right App? - When you already downloaded the app and it seems like normal but if you compared it some ads about it and to the websites of this app and you see like there is different in colors, text or something then it might be fake apps.

For more details read this: https://www.kaspersky.com/resource-center/preemptive-safety/identifying-and-avoiding-fake-apps

What is the purpose of this?
There are so many ways that hackers and scammers can do just to steal someone's money or account, some hackers use fake application and unsecured advertisement just to spy on your computer or on your cellphone, by that, they can use your information or whatever about you to some purposes they wanted to.

[slackovic]

I would add one more thing. When searching for an app to download, NEVER click on Google ad. Scammers will often try to pay for an ad that points to a fake app that will harm your mobile phone. For example, you could search for "binance" to download their app and trade, but some scammer could pay Google ad and that point to fake web site where you'll download fake app.

[Bitcoin_Arena]

I made this guide a couple of years back.
- Not all crypto apps in App stores are safe
It could help one on how to identify fake apps especially on google play and how to avoid being victim.  

[Findingnemo]

First of all, check what are the permissions were asked by the app while installing, if it is something out of its usage then its something shady but we can't say all the reputed apps are good, they are also doing the same like spying the user and collecting their information and then sell them to make money.UNderstand when you are getting something for free means your data is their target.

[hugeblack]

The golden rule, if you do not trust the developer and do not need much, do not download it. Downloading a lot of programs reduces your protection

  - Do not trust the safety of all the programs in Google Play.
  - Finding that software from the original company does not mean that it is safe, but you trust that this company will not provide harmful software.
  - Allocating permissions: Do not grant many of them except for a convincing reason.
  - Open-source software does not mean that it is safe unless you can read each line of code.

[ryzaadit]

1. Straight to the source - When you are going to download apps on your phone, always be careful when doing it, to make yourself feel comfortable on installing apps on your phone, you may visit the creator's official website because for sure if it is really legit the creator would put the information of the apps on their website.

Even went you downloading from the official source, they still suggest you to do verification from the PGP/GPG key before downloading the website or any resource. It's really important too, so you got more confirmation not downloading from the other source.

2. Word of Mouth and Recommendations - If you cannot find the right website of the application, you may do some research or some reviews about the application, if it is really good you will so many positive feedback for it.

Do not use this method, they're a lot of services who offering a paid review or doing some shit airdrop to do some task for making a good review about them.

So basically seeing a review still not enough to confirm that the application was safe.

[fourpiece]

I seacrh first some details of the apps then before downloading it , i always read the comments and feedbacks of those who downloaded the app, if the feedback isnt good i wont continue to download the app.

[XenoFever]

I would add one more thing. When searching for an app to download, NEVER click on Google ad. Scammers will often try to pay for an ad that points to a fake app that will harm your mobile phone. For example, you could search for "binance" to download their app and trade, but some scammer could pay Google ad and that point to fake web site where you'll download fake app.

Well said mate, that is what hackers commonly do to hack people. They tend to give some ads on the application and then when you click it, then you would not know that there would be spy on your celphone or on your computer.

[Greatdev]

The best way to avoid fake apps is finding the official link and source , instead of downloading from playstore or a website do few diggings on the official website and download the app through the website

[slackovic]

The best way to avoid fake apps is finding the official link and source , instead of downloading from playstore or a website do few diggings on the official website and download the app through the website

This can be done with Android mobile phones. But what with an iPhone? I don't use it but I think that people who have an iPhone can't install apps from any source other than the AppStore.

[arwin100]

The best way to avoid fake apps is finding the official link and source , instead of downloading from playstore or a website do few diggings on the official website and download the app through the website

This can be done with Android mobile phones. But what with an iPhone? I don't use it but I think that people who have an iPhone can't install apps from any source other than the AppStore.

Actually you can still verify it to their website since there is a link provided on where you can download the legit apps and if you still doubt you can go to their support then ask to verify if the app you got from store is legit, I do this sometimes if I'm not sure on the apps I downloaded.

[DdmrDdmr]

<...>But what with an iPhone? I don't use it but I think that people who have an iPhone can't install apps from any source other than the AppStore.

There are alternative sites from which you can download apps on IOs if you jailbreak the device (which I would not do). Sites like GetJar, Appland, and before Cydia (now closed I believe) give you access to a range of alternatives Apps. Nevertheless, I personally find that the IOs app ecosystem (*) is less deceived than the Android one, and therefore would not venture to opening any risky doors for an app of any kind.

(*) Late email vulnerability is another issue altogether.

[slackovic]

<...>But what with an iPhone? I don't use it but I think that people who have an iPhone can't install apps from any source other than the AppStore.

There are alternative sites from which you can download apps on IOs if you jailbreak the device (which I would not do). Sites like GetJar, Appland, and before Cydia (now closed I believe) give you access to a range of alternatives Apps. Nevertheless, I personally find that the IOs app ecosystem (*) is less deceived than the Android one, and therefore would not venture to opening any risky doors for an app of any kind.

(*) Late email vulnerability is another issue altogether.

Yeah, I know that you can install apps from other sources of you jailbreak an iPhone. But like you said, if you jailbreak an iPhone, you're opening your phone to all kind of risks and you really should know what you're doing.

[crwth]

How about just trusting what's in the App Store + checking the reviews and possibly the developer's website, I guess. Most of the famous and used apps have a review, and you could check it out on YouTube. I think it's why uploading in an app store takes some time, right? Unless it's going to be downloaded from another source.

Unless there are vulnerabilities like the email vulnerability, but I read it's false?

https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2020/04/apple-disputes-report-of-non-click-ios-0day-under-exploit-for-two-years/

[libert19]

I seacrh first some details of the apps then before downloading it , i always read the comments and feedbacks of those who downloaded the app, if the feedback isnt good i wont continue to download the app.

This works most of time but bear in mind that even fake apps can have positive reviews however almost always you will be able to realize that they are paid reviews. Paid reviews don't have originality that legit feedback does.

[boyptc]

Lessen also the downloading of non sense apps. If you don't need the app then don't download it. What typically happens is that whenever they see an interesting app and it says they can earn from it, they'll download it without thinking and research.

[KiloFoxtrot]

<...>But what with an iPhone? I don't use it but I think that people who have an iPhone can't install apps from any source other than the AppStore.

There are alternative sites from which you can download apps on IOs if you jailbreak the device (which I would not do). Sites like GetJar, Appland, and before Cydia (now closed I believe) give you access to a range of alternatives Apps. Nevertheless, I personally find that the IOs app ecosystem (*) is less deceived than the Android one, and therefore would not venture to opening any risky doors for an app of any kind.

(*) Late email vulnerability is another issue altogether.

Yes, jailbreaking iOS was the norm before the advent of the Apple App Store which was created to further safeguard and police users away from malicious apps, aside from the fact that it opened the floodgates of me too app stores (to sell and market apps in a structured way) as well.

[Coyster]

Lessen also the downloading of non sense apps. If you don't need the app then don't download it. What typically happens is that whenever they see an interesting app and it says they can earn from it, they'll download it without thinking and research.

scammers and cyber criminals are reluctant to target apps that do not get traffic and many downloads(that doesn't mean they don't), there is more risk in the most popular apps and websites, sites they know alot of people use and many new people try to dowmload everyday. Just like the situation with zoom few weeks ago, it became a target because of the number of people using the app increased.(the more valuable an app or website is, scammers try to impersonate it more)

[LbtalkL]

You can avoid fake apps by not trusting google playstore not everything on this platform is real, some people abuse the lousiness of google allowing fake apps without proper verifications. So it is better to go to the official website and look for the link of the app. Also, don't just install random APK's that are found on google it might have some included malware. Most fake apps are APK's because they cannot be reported easily so be careful with those apps.

[slackovic]

You can avoid fake apps by not trusting google playstore not everything on this platform is real, some people abuse the lousiness of google allowing fake apps without proper verifications. So it is better to go to the official website and look for the link of the app. Also, don't just install random APK's that are found on google it might have some included malware. Most fake apps are APK's because they cannot be reported easily so be careful with those apps.

I'm not sure what do you mean by this bold part? As far as I know, all Android apps come in APK format. The only difference is that when you install an app from the Playstore, you don't see the actual file that is downloaded. But when you want to download an app from the website, you always have to download an APK file. For example, Binance has on it's website link to the Playstore app and link to the APK file download. It doesn't mean that it's APK file is fake.