How To Avoid Fake Android Apps In The Play Store

Fake Android apps in the Google Play Store are a problem. People create lists designed to look like popular apps, often using the same icon as the name, trick you into downloading - then bombarding you with ads (or worse, Malware). This issue has become very popular recently..

The fake version of Whatsapp was downloaded by over one million people last year, and this week Reddit's / r / android only received a fake version of the popular SwiftKey keyboard and a VLC version on the Google Play Store. The first two were removed after making headlines, and when Google was reluctant to remove the faux-VLC app, it was finally taken down after being on top of an Android loan all day. Congratulations to Google for a job well done, you guys! These types of software are not something to take at all. they often do a lot of gnarly things — like stealing all your personal information, tracking every step you take, or even more. The ABC news really made a good analysis of the fake apps they have - they are worth a look. So how do these fake apps deceive a lot of people,
what can you do about it?
How These Fake Apps Apps Use Trick for Users The fake version of Whatsapp — certainly one of the most successful apps yet — was almost indistinguishable from the real thing. Even the name of the developer looked the same. The fraudulent company put a special secret behavior at the end of the developer name, which looked like "WhatsApp Inc", but it was thanks to a different technology for whitespace hidden at the end of the name. Very clever.
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Left: Whatsapp Legal Number if List; Right: Fake List. And again, the app was downloaded more than a million times before Google removed it from the Google Play Store. It was very successful because it matched the real Whatsapp list - the icon, verbiage, and developer name were so similar that most users were not even adding.The previously mentioned VLC ripoff is very different. It uses VLC source code and Media Player Classic icon, and has over five million downloads. The "Developer" here did nothing more than take the popular player (Open Source), It's okay to upload it for ads, and then use another player's icon.
Although it did not appear to be stealing data or storing other malicious code, it is still a fake software used to extort Admob money. They take the work of legitimate developers, fill it with ads, and use it away. It is an abomination. I'm glad Google did the right thing by linking it.
What Google Is Doing To Deal With This Issue This is not a new problem. In fact, it has been going on for years — and honestly he can not tell if it is getting worse, if I look more at the media, or if the cases mentioned are just bigger. fake gets quality-and get more downloads. That is a big issue here.

Fortunately, Google is starting to address this issue with Google Play Protect (security system) to verify apps in Google Play Store. Checks the app when logging into Google Play, which I am sure to contain a lot of weeds and other inappropriate apps. Google also says it removed more than 700 malicious apps last year. But, as we said, there are still some great things to go through. Play Protect was announced less than a year ago, so it is still a new system. As with most, there will be bumps along the way — we just hope Google uses this system to find the best way to control bad content in its official app store.

How To Spot (Avoid) These Fake Apps So here's the big thing: it's making sure your device and your data are safe for you. Google can only do so much, and no matter how good the Play Protect gets, there is always a certain percentage of bad software that finds their way into the Store. That's why it's important to keep in mind. The best thing you can do to make sure you do not install a decorating group is to take a few minutes to look over the list of apps before installing it. With a little effort it comes out long.

Take a close look at Search Results If you search Google Play Store for the app you want to close, take a few seconds to look at all the episodes — especially if you see one icon more than once.

Fake programs will always use the icon from the app they are trying to implement, therefore should lead immediately suspicion if you see one icon more than once (based on the second is not a software program, of course). This is the first way of fake app to deceive people to enter them.It icons are the same, walk names.
Check the App and Developer (Developer) Check the app name and developer. In case of artificial WhatsApp, the developer's name was the same, but the name of the app should be the red flag - I can not imagine one time a valid program adds the word "end" to its name of fake Swiftkey which has recently stopped called " Swift keyboard "- something that unknown users and SwiftKey may lack errors for actual applications. But the name of the developer was "Superman Designer" - a clear indicator that something certainly since SwiftKey is designed by the company of the same name (and owned by Microsoft).

The fake switchkey list.
If the developer's name is not a quick indicator, you should also check their other apps. You can do this on the web by clicking the developer name on the Google Play Store list; On your phone, just open next to the list of the app to view more apps from the developer. Let's say you install the Facebook-One of the most downloaded apps on Google Play and install more than a billion while writing.
But what if the list you look only, say 5,000? Guess what? Perhaps the wrong list. There is no great space for fake software will continue in the long-term storage to get multiple downloads, so it's the easiest way to see fraud, you think you look at the popular app.
If not very popular, however, this will not be very helpful. Of course, the fake app should have downloads lower than the app that images-again, just pay attention to the number.
Read the details and check the screen
This is an important step. If everything else looks closely, the details can be something that gives away. If the word looked off (make a bot-like) or written in broken English, which should add a red flag.
Most legitimate developers do our best to provide clear communication about what their programs do. Many use well, clean up the list. Again, if something hears here, maybe it is.
The situation applies to images. Now, there are these opportunities can be stolen on the park list (such as icon), but you should check again. For example, see fake SwiftKey we have talked about several times already:

The picture looks very beautiful, but "writing as swift"? What the hell does it do even mean? For me, it means "yeah, I don't install this." Finally, read the review of all the details, try time to read a few tips. Fake programs often have a fake opinion, but it is also possible to have a legitimate audit from users who recognized the program was the following after putting it. Usually skim will generally take-look for negative reviews and see what issues. If it is fake, hope someone has called on the comments.
What to do if you put the App Fake
If you recognize a fake app, there are things you have to do (away from, you know, not put it). The first is to report-then Google will recognize that it's fake! To do this, follow the bottom of the page (no matter if you are on the web or phone) and click or tap "flag as you should not."

Tap the presentation, and will be sent to Google, which will (hopefully) go through it.
Since you have done your place, share this information! Post on Twitter, Reddit, Facebook, or elsewhere you are going on. The best thing you can do is to increase awareness, because then more people will report the program of fraudulent activities. On the other hand, Google should respond more quickly. Developers of legitimate programs give their feedback and support in these events, too.
Again, anything of these things can be made if a malicious manufacturer works hard. The artificial WhatsApp program was the name of the identical developer, and it had enough downloads that looked like a real thing. But if you look at all these things are put together, you will be able to see something that doesn't look right. You just need to pay attention to the details.
And finally, if you still don't know-do not close the app. You want to be sure that you are making it appropriate, so if you ask so, more research will be needed before you hit the green button. You can go to the home page of the app (like SwiftKey.com) and click their button to "Get Google Play", which will make sure you go to the real thing.
Photo Credit with the help of:
gorkem demir/Shutterstock.com.