Hundreds of Fake Shopping Apps Surface in iOS App Store

Equally nosotros move closer to the holiday flavor, users are bound to come across all sorts of 'weird' and 'odd' things pop upward left, right and center.

The iOS App Store is Infested with Faux Retail Apps, What is Apple'south Review Squad Doing?

On the Web there are a lot of ways how a user might get scammed while shopping for something. From false coupons to mischievously crafted disbelieve links, a lot of users fall for the trap in different ways. Still, on mobile, especially on iOS, it's a little tougher to get scammed since Apple takes a off-white scrap of time reviewing apps before publishing them on the App Store. Well, apparently, this is non the case at all as hundreds of imitation retail apps have made their manner onto the App Shop, which serve the purpose of either merely serving ads to generate acquirement or scam the user to part with their credit card / cyberbanking information.

The counterfeiters take masqueraded as retail chains like Dollar Tree and Pes Locker, big department stores like Dillard'south and Nordstrom, online production bazaars similar Zappos.com and Polyvore, and luxury-appurtenances makers similar Jimmy Choo, Christian Dior and Salvatore Ferragamo.

Before you lot fifty-fifty tap on that 'download' push, please have the time out to see the name of the developer and where the app is originating from. Most of the scam apps that sideslip through Apple'southward review process emerge from China. And while Apple is actively taking down these apps since they accept been pointed out by diverse news outlets, it does non mean users should skip exercising caution altogether.

"We strive to offer customers the best feel possible, and we take their security very seriously," said an Apple spokesman, Tom Neumayr. "We've gear up ways for customers and developers to flag fraudulent or suspicious apps, which we promptly investigate to ensure the App Store is safe and secure. Nosotros've removed these offending apps and volition go on to be vigilant about looking for apps that might put our users at risk."

Interestingly, retailers who don't have an official iPhone or iPad app at all are virtually vulnerable in this case. Users autumn victim to them easily, believing they are downloading something absolutely legit.

While many of you lot out in that location will take unlike routes to grab yourself a great bargain online, but please, a little caution can get a long style in saving you from a lot of problem. Avoid links that popular up in your email claiming to land you a discount. Also, links can be delivered via text besides, something which you lot should avoid too.

Permit's just hope Apple has this problem fixed fashion before the holiday season kicks in.

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