Fleeceware apps can cost device owners a lot of money over time and it looks like they’ve now made their way to being scammed by these apps.
Fleeceware apps are named this way due to their tendency to fleece s of their money. In principle, these apps appear fine and usually even offer a free trial for device owners to use before having to pay. However, that’s just part of their plan as once ed they will attempt to charge the higher than expected monthly fees, and for as long as they can get away with it. Often, they'll continue charging long after the app has been uninstalled from the device.
These apps are a known problem on Android, however, security researchers at Sophos have now found the apps have infiltrated the iOS App Store as well. In an announcement, Sophos explains that at least 30 apps have been identified and all of them exhibit the typical behaviors associated with fleeceware apps. What's more, one of them was listed as the 11th highest revenue-generating app for iPhone, suggesting that plenty of s have already fallen for the scam.
How To Avoid iOS Fleeceware Apps
One of the major problems with these apps is that they appear as legit apps and don’t ask for money in the listing. However, this should be the first warning sign as although these are listed as free apps, they normally require the to agree to a free trial when trying to access the app. This is an important difference as apps that are listed as free should be free and not subject to a free trial first. Speaking of which, even when presented with the free trial prompt and agreement, it is incredibly important to read the small print as here the app will often state how much the service is after the free trial. In most cases, the amount asked for will be considerably higher than it should be for an app of its type.
Another point to be aware of is that researchers have routinely found these apps target specific categories and topics. For example, fleeceware apps are often disguised as horoscope/fortune telling apps, QR or barcode scanners, and image editors or face filter apps. In these instances, the apps are not usually any different to other free apps in the same category. Therefore, if one is trying to charge you for certain features, the chances are high that you'll find plenty of other legitimate apps offering the same features for free.
Reviews and ments are also something to be aware of. The researchers explain that these apps tend to rely heavily on subscriptions your is linked to. If any look strange, or for a higher than expected fee, it’s a good time to cancel those subscriptions through Apple.
Source: Sophos