Cloud Hosting

Apple prides itself on a strict app review process, but it seems even the strongest measures cant stop scams from slipping under the radar. A recent report from the Washington Post exposed some glaring holes in the App Stores defense. Reporters said nearly 2% of the 1,000 highest-grossing apps were a form of scam.

This news comes after Apple claimed its stopped over $1.5 billion in potentially fraudulent transactions in 2020. Despite its best efforts, Apples store is still vulnerable to app scams and they cost users like you a ton of money. In fact, market research firm Appfigures says fraudulent apps defrauded users out of around $48 million.

The worst part about these apps is how hard they are to spot. They can pop up as fun and exciting apps on entertainment, news, or exercise or they can even claim to boost your cybersecurity (while in reality, theyre just weakening your defenses). Since it seems scammy apps are here to stay, weve got some helpful tips you can use to recognize dangerous ones.

Many of them masquerade as real companies, hoping you wont notice the names are slightly different.

For instance, if you own a Samsung television, you can go to your iPhones App Store to download the remote control app SmartThings. One software engineer named Simon Willison told the Washington Post that he found an app called Smart Things.

Learn the tech tips and tricks only the pros know.

Notice the difference? Two apps popped up: one with a space and one without. The copycat app, Smart Things, will charge you $19. Fall for the trick and youve lost money as well as your faith in Apples review process.

Willison told the Washington Post his trust in Apples review process tricked him into dropping his hard-earned cash. By assuming the App Store was thorough enough to recognize and expel fake apps masquerading as the real deal, he was down $19.

I thought, Wow, Samsung has gone downhill. Theyre nickel and diming me for my remote control?'

Let this be a lesson to you. When youre looking up apps, dont let your eyes glaze over the titles. Many copycat apps rely on you not double-checking the title. Thats an easy way for you to fall into big trouble.

Its similar to the concept of typosquatting. Its also known as URL hijacking when a bad faith actor misspells a popular domain name to garner traffic and scam visitors. Theyre banking on users misspelling URLs and other important information on the web.

Its such a big deal the Better Business Bureau sounded the alarm. But its not just for websites. App store tricksters use typosquatting to trick you into thinking theyre representing a trustworthy brand. That way, its easier for them to snatch your money.

Not all of these scams are this easy to spot, though. Others are confident enough to stand on their own without hiding behind the mask of a reputable company. Some will even buy fake customer reviews to trick users like you into thinking youre buying a good service.

Scammers gravitate towards spying and internet security apps. (Ironic, huh?) They also love to create fake dating apps, which makes sense people are less concerned with security when it comes to matters of the heart.

Many of these apps hide in plain sight. Some will steal your money, while others want to snatch a lot more than that. Here are some more scammy apps youll find:

As you can see, cheap or free VPN apps cant be trusted. Remember, if the service is free, youre most likely the product. Or worse. The app could be malicious and infect your device with malware. Thats why its important to use a VPN that you can trust.

We recommend trying the VPN that Kim trusts and uses. Our sponsor,ExpressVPN.Get 3 months free when you sign up for one year at ExpressVPN.com/Kim.

It looks like Apple has a lot of work on its plate. If it really wants to scrub viruses and scams away for good, its going to need some new techniques.

If you want to boost your iPhones security, weve got you covered. We gathered five tips and tricks for tweaking your iPhones settings in the name of safety. Tap or click here for new ways to secure your iPhone.

Use an iPhone? Best new features coming to iOS 15

Warning: Email promising protection from ransomware is actually malware

See the article here:
These iPhone apps have scammed people out of millions - Komando