Hundreds of Fake Pokémon Go Apps Delivering Malware

Patience is a virtue and right now it’s a really good quality to have if you have not been able to get your copy of the Pokémon Go app from your app store. It seems there is so much demand for the little virtual creatures that servers are overloaded and crashing, leaving players disappointed and scammers excited.

Because of the inability for some to get the game, scammers are putting up fake versions of it everywhere. Some of them merely crash the device causing the user to reboot or restore their devices; some hold it for ransom and others connect the device to porn sites and ads. More than 215 unofficial versions of the app have been discovered and some of them are in app stores.

Make sure to read reviews for this and any other app you are considering putting onto your devices. Read both negative and positive ones. If there is anything wrong with the app, it’ll likely be there.

When you do get the Pokémon Go app, it should be from the official developer, which is Niantic, Inc. If anyone else is listed as the developer, it could be fake. Some of these promise user guides and cheats for the game, but are really just aiming to push pornographic ads to you. Make sure to investigate thoroughly before downloading anything.

Despite some fake versions being in the app stores, it is still less risky to get apps from those than by downloading them from other sites (also called sideloading). They go through more testing and scrutiny before being allowed into the stores. However, nothing is perfect so make sure to get them from the reputable sources.

These are not the only issues with the popular game lately. Last week two men fell from off a cliff while playing the game in San Diego, a man in New York crashed his car into a tree while playing, and a girl in Wyoming stumbled upon a dead body while searching for Pokémon.  Remember not only to use caution when downloading digital content, but keep your head up when using it too.

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