How to avoid being fooled by fake mobile applications

PARIS ― WhatsApp, Signal and ChatGPT are some of most popular mobile applications.

They are also the likeliest targets for copycat, rogue applications that use their names and often imitate their logos to deceive users.

However, there are steps you can take to avoid downloading these bogus applications, AFP reported.

The first rule of thumb is to always download your mobile applications from an official store, ideally the App Store for iPhone and Google Play for Android devices. Above all, avoid clicking on any links on the web.

Instead, always go to your operating system’s dedicated store and search for the application there directly.

To recognise a real application from an imitation, it’s a good idea to systematically look at the name of its publisher.

Remember, it’s Meta for WhatsApp, the Signal Foundation for the messaging service of the same name, and OpenAI for ChatGPT.

Next, watch out for the name and logo. In addition to the name of the publisher, the name of the application and the shape of the logo can often raise doubts.

If something doesn’t look right, then make sure you double-check by looking up the company’s official branding. Finally, don’t hesitate to read the reviews left by users, especially the more recent ones.

Fortunately, most of these pirate applications are quickly removed from the App Store and Google Play as soon as they are reported as malicious.

So, if in doubt, it’s better to wait and see than to download something you’re unsure about.