Smartphones have opened up a whole new way in which companies can make money from apps and mobile games. Unfortunately, they have also attracted the more disingenuous members of society. One such example is a Latvian firm which launched fake, free versions of popular titles, such as Angry Birds and Assassin’s Creed on Google’s Android Market, now the Play Store.
The company launched these free apps onto the Market, which doesn’t have an approvals system, and waited for people to download them. Once downloaded users found that these apps would not open, but instead they would receive three text messages, which cost £5 each to receive.
The Latvian company has since been caught and been told to pay £50,000 in fines, as well as refund a total of £28,000 to victims of the scam. The apps have since been removed from the store. It’s worth remembering to double check any apps you may consider downloading, as well as the company that puts them out.
Source: BBC
Jakster123x
Wow, £5 to receive a text? Good old Latvia.
bunimomike
Ah, an unfiltered world let’s any old shit through! :-)
job
iif they would scam the public to that extent , it will be very unlikely that those fines will ever be paid . company closed and they will be opening a new company to rob more more unfortunate souls of thir hard earned. cynical but unfortunately true.
Forrest_01
Was there any difference to how the apps appeard on the store? i.e. would it be pretty easy to tell them apart if you were savvy enough, or if they were perhaps side by side?
iiekka
its normally fairly clear, if it says under permisions that the app can access services that cost you money etc dont install them.
Forrest_01
Sorry, i meant more from a point of view before you even clicked on anything – Was there anything obvious that would have stood out before you chose to look at the permissions for example?
(Such as not being by Rovio was along the lines i was thinking)
iiekka
it should say who created it under the app name
Sympo
Further puts me off from ever using anything thats under Android.
Carl
Just check what it has access to. Every app has a list of permissions. If you don’t like them, don’t install it.
plutoniumdragon
I always read the user ratings before installing anything, not foolproof but you can get a good idea of whether an app is genuine or not.
Carl
Yeah, and that
Guyers94
Well they won’t be getting my vote in Eurovision.
The Lone Steven
Disgraceful and the worst thing about it is that they won’t pay it as they could just set up a new company. :( I’m shocked that Google doesn’t have a system in place that prevents this from happening. :-o
hennerzcfc
thats why i have a iphone apple will protect the users