How or why all those fakes got past Google's much-ballyhooed Bouncer app screener is something that Google needs to answer. He added that only one of those in the lineup isn't malware or fake. 'This is a small number of the WhatsApp apps,' Beaumont tweeted. The results returned a slew of apps that appear to come from Facebook and WhatsApp but are actually fakes aimed at scamming users. Security expert Kevin Beaumont on Sunday shared a screenshot on Twitter showing a simple search for 'whatsapp' in Google Play.

The fake WhatsApp app is bad enough, but it highlights a bigger problem in the Google Play marketplace. This restricts you to the Google Play store it's arguably an unfair restriction as Amazon's Android app store is just as safe, but it prevents dodgy websites from trying to install apps on your phone. You should also make sure 'unknown sources' is turned off as a download source in your Android device's security settings. App reviews are often times a good place to determine whether an app is real or not. In the event you mistakenly download a malicious app, delete it immediately, report it to Google and consider writing a negative review on the Google Play page to alert other users.

Most developers deliver you right to the correct page on Google Play. One of the best ways to ensure authenticity is to just to go to the website for the app developer and click on the Google Play download link there. If you know an app should cost something, but you see it listed as free, be very suspicious. Some of the fake apps also have fake icons, which can be a giveaway. You might also want to read the app description to ensure it lists the features you'd expect. If there's an extra word or character tossed in, chances are it's not the real thing.

When looking at any app listing on Google Play, be sure to see if the name matches the actual name of the app. WhatsApp also includes encryption technology to allow users to communicate with other people without worrying too much about an unauthorized person peering in to see what the discussion is about. According to one Redditor who took apart the app, it ditches the title and icon to try 'to hide itself' and keep attracting users.įacebook's WhatsApp, with a purported 1 billion daily active users, is one of the most popular chatting applications in the world, allowing users to send everything from text and video to audio to others.

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