In the News
Once again scam apps are plaguing the Apple App Store. In iOS Fitness Apps Robbing Money From Apple Victims, Lindsey O’Donnell at ThreatPost discusses how two scam fitness apps, ‘Fitness Balance’ and ‘Calorie Tracker’ on the Apple App Store have stolen $120 from users. O’Donnell states that these fitness apps appear legitimate with many positive reviews and function as they promise, however, they frequently prompt users to use touch idea to further their app experience which triggers a $120 charge to their linked payment method.
Our Take
More and more scam apps are becoming available on app stores disguised as useful and legitimate appearing apps. With a plethora of apps to choose from, it can be difficult to determine which one you should download and purchase. To prevent yourself from downloading a scam app and potentially risking your personal and financial information, always research apps before making that purchase or download. Look for apps used by friends and family or take a few extra moments to make sure you are choosing the best and most secure app for your devices. Additionally, when creating accounts on platforms or applications, only add your payment information or additional personal information when it is essential. App platforms such as the App Store must take a stronger initiative to prevent such scams from targeting their audience. While it can be difficult to identify such scam apps before they become damaging, by being cautious with your downloads and where you enter sensitive information, you can reduce your risk of being a victim of such scams.
Recommendations
How can you protect yourself from scam apps?
- Understand the risks of putting your personal information into the world, and only share what you have to
- Minimize the number of accounts that have direct access to your bank account or card numbers
- Don’t reuse your account passwords, and take advantage of multi-factor authentication whenever possible
- Track your finances closely to notice suspicious transactions before they become dangerous
- Stay up to date on the news regarding recent scam and phishing attacks to see if you may have been affected