The big discussion between Android and iOS users is the opening of the operating system. While Android is one of the most open OS, iOS is one of the most closed, which on the other hand allows them to minimize errors and improve the link with other Apple devices. Apple's secrecy allows, for example, avoiding fraudulent applications in the App Store, something that does not happen so precisely in Google Play.
You may also be interested: How to install apps not compatible with your Android phone from Google Play.
One of the concerns that a mobile device user like Android is is the security of their data as well as their privacy. It is true that Android devices have improved considerably, making it increasingly difficult for hackers or malicious users to steal information or infect your device with malicious files or viruses..
For this reason, hackers look for different ways to access the information on their Android devices and one of the most common ways is through the installation of fraudulent or false applications . Previously, the vast majority of devices that were infected through false or fraudulent applications did so by installing apps through APK files.
This is changing and now many hackers are posing as "fake" developers to upload to the official Google Play app store, fake or fraudulent apps . This is where the openness and flexibility of the Android operating system and its app store, causing millions of users to be at risk even installing apps directly from the official store..
That said, here are a few tips to identify fake or fraudulent Android apps within the Google Play store :
How to know if a Google Play app is fake and should not be installed on Android.
Tip 1: Check the app name.
Sometimes when searching for an app known as WhatsApp for example, you will find several applications as search results. In general, the first app shown within the search results, however, the ones that follow may not be what they appear, even more so if it appears to be similar to the app we are looking for.
To avoid this error, do not get carried away by the appearance of the app page but by the name that is displayed. Sometimes fake or fraudulent apps look almost identical to the original but the name varies slightly..
Tip 2: Check the comments and votes of the app.
The official Google Play application store has a voting and comment system thanks to which we can find out information directly provided by users who have already downloaded the app. In general, fraudulent or false applications usually have a large number of negative comments and a low feedback rating.
Here it should be noted that sometimes you may find apps with a high rating and some positive comments, however this may be due to the purchase or self-generation of positive reviews. If the number of users who have rated or commented on the app is not very high, we recommend that you be cautious with said app, since official and legitimate apps usually have hundreds or thousands of ratings.
Tip 3: Check the developer name.
The developers of the most popular apps do not usually have their own name, but the name of the developer usually coincides with that of the company or the same name of the app. Another option may be to visit the official website of said application and check it with the developer name shown in the Google Play store window.
Here you should bear in mind that sometimes, although it seems that the name is identical to the name of the developer they are trying to impersonate, the truth is that it is not. Sometimes hackers add a space to the end of the developer name which is invisible to the user, so it can lead to deception. Still, be careful of the developer name and don't download anything with a suspicious name.
Tip 4: Check the number of downloads for that application.
This advice will be useful especially for the most popular apps since they are the ones that accumulate millions of downloads. If an app tries to go through any of them, just take a look at the information corresponding to the number of downloads. If it is an app like Facebook or WhatsApp, it must have millions of downloads. If, on the other hand, it is a false app, the download number will be infinitely lower than the original one.
If you make the checks shown here before downloading and installing an app on your Android device, you should have no problem. Of course, even if some fraudulent app can be found within Google Play, the truth is that it is infinitely more secure than any app you install using an APK file.
