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Beware! Fake WhatsApp has appeared on the Play Store, downloaded by millions of users… Google Play Store's security is again in controversy
WhatsApp is a popular messaging platform that offers messaging and calling services to its users. Over 2 billion people use WhatsApp in 180 countries. The official Android version of WhatsApp can be downloaded from the Google Play Store. However, a major update has now surfaced regarding the Google Play Store and WhatsApp. This is a cause for concern, especially if you recently downloaded WhatsApp to your smartphone.
A fake version of WhatsApp was recently found on the Google Play Store
This version looks exactly like the real WhatsApp. Its logo and app name are also very similar to the original. This app, which is available on the Google Play Store, has been downloaded by more than five lakh people, which has raised concerns.
What did Android Authority say?
According to a report shared by Android Authority, after the recent fake Google Chrome app, a fake WhatsApp app has now surfaced. The fake Google Chrome app was downloaded by over 100,000 people before it was removed from the Play Store. The fake WhatsApp app on the Google Play Store is 42 MB in size. It is being said that the developer has promoted it to deceive as many people as possible and get more people to download the app. In screenshots shared by users, the app appears as a sponsored suggestion.
This developer published a fake WhatsApp.
The original messaging platform WhatsApp, used by billions of people, is listed under the developer name WhatsApp LLC, while the fake WhatsApp has been published by a developer named Agment Assets sallu. The description text of this fake app has been copied from the official Play Store description of WhatsApp. Spacing and some sentences have been edited. Some subheadings, paragraphs and links to Terms of Service and Learn More are missing in the fake listing.
Not only this, screenshots and advertisements have also been copied. The same image is appearing twice in the fake app. Android Authority has claimed that this fake app was published in September and may be abusing Google Play's Early Access to prevent user reviews. Android users should note that when WhatsApp Messenger is searched in the Google Play Store, the fake app does not appear in the top results. Recently, a fake Google Chrome was found on the Play Store, and now after the discovery of fake WhatsApp, questions are being raised about the security of the Play Store.
PC: Navarastra
