FB data theft: How to spot fake apps on Google Play Store and Apple App Store

While such apps are made to look fun and useful in order to lure in the user to download them, there are some telltale signs which differentiate them from the legitimate apps. Here are a few things you can look for to identify the legitimacy of apps on Google Play Store and Apple App Store

– Spelling mistake in the app name and its description below

– While going through the app description, look for tags like “Editor’s Choice” and “Top Developer”. You may also visit developer’s website

– Look for the download count. While it is not a 100% proof of the app’s genuity, but generally a fake/malicious app will have less download count than the genuine ones

– Check the app’s ratings and reviews. Go through comments if you may like

– Both Google and Apple take down the apps reported as fake. But they come back in one or other disguise. Look for the app’s publish date. A genuine app, usually will not have a recent publish date and is likely to have received updates in the recent times. While a fake app is most likely to have a recent publish date. Do note that this is not always a mark of genuineness.

– Look for the phone permissions that the app is asking for. It is, but obvious for a third-party app to ask for permissions like access to your contacts, dialler, etc. but if it asks for permissions like camera, audio and more, there is a reason to be skeptical.

– Is the app unusable if you don’t provide your Facebook information? For example, be suspicious of a photo-editing app that needs your Facebook login and password before allowing you to use it.

While such apps are made to look fun and useful in order to lure in the user to download them, there are some telltale signs which differentiate them from the legitimate apps. Here are a few things you can look for to identify the legitimacy of apps on Google Play Store and Apple App Store

– Spelling mistake in the app name and its description below

– While going through the app description, look for tags like “Editor’s Choice” and “Top Developer”. You may also visit developer’s website

– Look for the download count. While it is not a 100% proof of the app’s genuity, but generally a fake/malicious app will have less download count than the genuine ones

– Check the app’s ratings and reviews. Go through comments if you may like

– Both Google and Apple take down the apps reported as fake. But they come back in one or other disguise. Look for the app’s publish date. A genuine app, usually will not have a recent publish date and is likely to have received updates in the recent times. While a fake app is most likely to have a recent publish date. Do note that this is not always a mark of genuineness.

– Look for the phone permissions that the app is asking for. It is, but obvious for a third-party app to ask for permissions like access to your contacts, dialler, etc. but if it asks for permissions like camera, audio and more, there is a reason to be skeptical.

– Is the app unusable if you don’t provide your Facebook information? For example, be suspicious of a photo-editing app that needs your Facebook login and password before allowing you to use it.