So protect the health of your phone!

The Google Play Store is full of dangers, so we need to be alert. We've gathered 7 important pieces of information for you so you don't get in trouble!

Maybe you’ve come across apps - at best, you’ve only heard of them - that had a very familiar icon and name, yet didn’t work as expected. Well, unfortunately, this is a proven method based on deception.

The phenomenon is now growing in size, with a WhatsApp clone reaching more than a million downloads last year, and a swiftKey copy and an ad-packed VLC appearing in the store these days - thankfully, Google has already taken action on these matters.

1. Why do these apps reach so many people?

Let’s look at the case of WhatsApp, which was the most successful scam to date. It is beyond dispute, the programmers did a very good job (clearly striving for full identity), even the developer name was almost an exact copy of the original. The only difference was an “unnecessary” space, which really wasn’t exactly something striking.

On the left is the real WhatsApp and on the right is the fake WhatsApp.

So the recipe is not complicated at all, if you pay attention to every detail (icon, description, name of the developer), it is easy for millions of users to download the app unsuspectingly.

The case of VLC is already a slightly different dough. The open source application has been spoiled with the much-seen icon of Media Player Classic, and a large amount of advertising - the goal is obviously to make a profit from it. This clone did not contain any malicious code, however, it earned revenue from the work of others, which at best could have cost those who created this great video player.

Who wouldn't know this icon?

2. Take the time to review your search results.

Be especially careful if you see the same icon in multiple apps - with the exception of the paid or pro versions. Don't rush, don't install "routinely"! Note that the icon is a standard accessory for fake applications, this is the number one trick.

3. Check the name of the app and its developer!

Let’s take a look at the name of the developer, in the case of SwiftKey, for example, “Designer Superman” may have given rise to doubt. It may be worthwhile to see what other works the artist in question still has in the store - this can be done at the touch of a button on the data sheet.

Well, is Superman programming as an add-on?

4. Download to your friend!

For popular applications, we need to see millions (possibly billions) of downloads, otherwise it’s worth looking more closely. Fake apps always fail over time, with the number of downloads (usually) not reaching the order of millions.

5. Read the features, look at the screenshots!

This is also an important step. Once everything else has been thoroughly tested, the description may come. If the language is conspicuously flawed, it may not be the work of chance. Most developers who give themselves something provide correct formatting to characterize the program. If someone doesn’t bother to do that either, what can we expect after installing the app? It doesn’t hurt to also be aware of what the app is requesting access to; you will find everything under the "Permissions" menu item on the data sheet.

Our game Find the Real One follows.

Obviously, it is also possible that in addition to the icon, the description is also saved for the fake application. Let’s take a look at the already mentioned SwiftKey app. The icon was right, but at the show it read: Type like a flying swallow! What does this mean? For us, we’re definitely not going to install this.

6. Don't miss out on user reviews!

After going through the above, there is only one step left; studying the feedback. Unfortunately, in the case of fake apps, the reviews are often not real either, but there will certainly be some feedback that can be used. Read these because they may have been smarter from the experiences of others. Let’s look for negative, complaining comments and see what they’re about!

He got creative enough, maybe too much.

7. What should we do if we find a fake app?

The most important thing is not to install it on your smartphone. If we are sure about this, please send a report ("flagged as objectionable") to Google. Fill in the form correctly, indicate the problem we thought was discovered!

Nor can it filter out everything.

+1 Why isn't Google doing these for me?

He will. The Play Protect security system crashed more than 700 apps last year. It is easy to see that in a system of this size, there will always be problematic cases, and counterfeits are becoming more and more sophisticated.

We hope the above reaches as many readers as possible, because these tips can really improve the security of our phone, and we can also support developers who do meaningful work by avoiding clones. The most important thing is to avoid galiba with some care. If you are not completely sure about something, you should do not install it, but visit the official website of the app and start the procedure from there!

Source: How-To Geek