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Fraudsters are targeting Christmas shoppers with counterfeit apps designed to look like popular brands, with the scams now increasing in the festive season.
IT solutions firm Logicalis is warning Islanders to be extra vigilant in the run up to Christmas as they are concerned that fake apps will be used to steal credit card data.
Ricky Magalhaes, Head of Offshore Security, Logicalis, said: “Consumers need to be very careful about what they download and the information they give any app they have downloaded. The apps may ask you to supply your credit card details, and may ask you to log in using Facebook which then places you at risk as you will be handing over personal information.
“Google Play and The App Store use algorithms to try to keep malware out. These apps are correctly coded so don’t get picked up by the algorithms. The companies have people trying to detect and remove fake apps but they proliferate so quickly it’s a very difficult task.”
Retailers that have been targeted include fashion retailers, designer brands, and both upmarket and discount stores. Some of the fake apps are for retailers that don’t even have apps.
Mr Magalhaes added: “The apps can seem legitimate, and as they appear in Apple’s App Store and Google Play, it can be hard to distinguish them from real apps run by retailers. One way of distinguishing if an app is genuine or not is to look at the reviews, and to be wary about downloading any apps that have bad reviews or no reviews, or indeed if the app info contains text with spelling or grammar mistakes.
“Also, be sure not to click any links in emails asking you to download an app. The best way to download an app for a retailer is directly from the official website.”
Mr Magalhaes said the use of fake apps is on the sharp increase. "All devices are vulnerable to a certain degree. There are companies that will pay hackers a bounty for discovering vulnerabilities in a system. Once your device is compromised the fake app will steal your ID and turn your phone into a sort of zombie. Your phone can be in this state for months without you even knowing. This is happening everywhere, including the Channel Islands."
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