Hundreds of fake iPhone retail apps have started appearing in the Apple App Store — and they look just like the real thing.
These apps appear to be legitimate retail shopping apps — but take caution. According to the Better Business Bureau, these scammers have impersonated popular retail chains like Dollar Tree, Foot Locker and even Kroger in an attempt to cause you big problems.
While many of these apps only cause pop-up ads, there are some that can take over and cause serious damage. So, you’ll want to use caution when downloading any app that asks for your credit card or bank account information.
Read more: Buyer, beware: Scammers are using fake shopping apps to steal your money
How to spot a fake app
Check the reviews
A real app will likely have thousands of mostly positive reviews. If you notice an app that has no, few, or bad reviews, stay away!
Watch out for typos
Many of these counterfeit apps are coming out of China. Mistakes in spelling are a good indication that the app developer is overseas so take caution if you notice spelling mistakes in the title or description.
Check the store website
The best thing to do when downloading retail apps is go straight to the retailer’s own website. Many sites will have an icon that reads “Get our app.” This will take you directly to the company’s app in the App Store so you know you’re downloading the real thing.
Read more: Apple banned these iPhone apps following a security breach
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