Beware – Fake Google Apps Spotted Over Windows Phone Store!

Windows Phone has a worldwide market share of less than 5% in 2014, and this has led to its marketplace (known as the Windows Phone Store) being ignored by several app developers. The most prominent of these developers of course, is Google.

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Right now the only Google app that is available over the Windows Phone Store is Google Search. However, some nefarious parties have taken advantage of this to make available some fake applications over the marketplace over the last few days.

Microsoft recently removed some fake Google apps which were spotted over the store. The fake apps that were found were as follows:

  • Gmail
  • Hangouts
  • Google Maps
  • Google+
  • Google Search
  • Google Voice

The red flag was raised when it was noted that these apps were retailing at $1.99. Google offers these same apps over Android and iOS for free. Moreover, the name of the developer for these apps was Google, Inc. Over Android, Google goes by the name Google Inc. (without the comma)

Fake apps carry several security risks and afflict user privacy as well. They can track user locations, steal email IDs and phone contacts and phone logs, eat into data usage and mobile bills and also carry out man-in-the-middle attacks.

Please note that these apps have now been removed from the Windows Phone Store.

A Microsoft spokesperson said – We removed a series of apps for violating our policies concerning the use of misleading information. The apps attempted to misrepresent the identity of the publisher.

To stay safe against fake applications over Android and BlackBerry devices, Quick Heal Mobile Security offers several great features and real-time protection.

Rahul Thadani

Rahul Thadani

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23 Comments

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  1. Avatar austin pinto • April 2, 2014 at 1:06 PM

    i think there should be quickheal products for windows 8 and 8.1 phone os

    Reply
    • Rahul Thadani Rahul Thadani • April 2, 2014 at 2:58 PM

      Hi Austin,

      Thank you for the suggestion. We shall surely keep this in mind for our next version of Quick Heal products.

      Regards.

      Reply
  2. Avatar Shreyas • April 2, 2014 at 5:51 PM

    Hi, I think there should be quick heal security wherein spam threads should be automatically detected and removed from the main stream, this would give a good and secure user experience.

    Reply
    • Avatar Chaitanya • April 2, 2014 at 9:07 PM

      I’d say I don’t think that’ll help.
      Many a times legitimate emails get marked as spam and removed; if the antivirus will automatically remove such emails then it’ll create problems(sometimes irreversible).

      Reply
  3. Avatar rathnam seeli • April 2, 2014 at 6:00 PM

    thank i had no idea about this

    Reply
  4. Avatar ashutosh kumar • April 2, 2014 at 8:07 PM

    I THANK THERE GOOD QUICK HEAL SECURITY

    Reply
  5. Avatar Sandipan • April 2, 2014 at 9:04 PM

    Lets hope Quick Heal releases mobile security for Windows phones also.

    Reply
  6. Avatar MIHIR • April 2, 2014 at 11:16 PM

    is there any face apps in Google play store of Android phone?

    Reply
    • Avatar MIHIR • April 2, 2014 at 11:19 PM

      sorry its ‘fake’ not ‘face’

      Reply
    • Rahul Thadani Rahul Thadani • April 4, 2014 at 10:34 AM

      Hi Mihir,

      Google regularly scans Google Play to ensure there are no fake apps doing the rounds. However, once in a while some fake apps do creep in. But they are soon taken down if user feedback pours in. Before you download any app, make sure that you read some user reviews to see what the feedback is like.

      Thanks.

      Reply
  7. Avatar asif • April 2, 2014 at 11:35 PM

    I am using quick hl mobile securty.
    Bt its unable to block ad & spam on chrome browsr.
    Fix it asap

    Reply
  8. Avatar Debabrata Das • April 3, 2014 at 12:18 AM

    Thanks to Quick Heal Security for alerting me.

    Reply
  9. Avatar MK Thakur • April 3, 2014 at 2:56 AM

    Thanks for suggestion. I have QUICK HEAL full protection and I am over sure I will remain protected.

    Reply
  10. Avatar anchal soni • April 3, 2014 at 7:38 AM

    I m use quickheal

    Reply
  11. Avatar YOGESH AGGARWAL • April 3, 2014 at 8:26 AM

    I WANT ONLY TRAIL PRODUCT KEY QUICK HEAL TOTAL SECURITY PLS SEND ME TRIAL KEY MY E-MAIL ID

    Reply
  12. Avatar Sharad • April 3, 2014 at 10:42 AM

    Thanks for making aware by this important information

    Reply
  13. Avatar Vishwanath • April 3, 2014 at 10:52 AM

    What this fake google application will do? what is the use of releasing this fake google application?

    Reply
    • Rahul Thadani Rahul Thadani • April 4, 2014 at 10:25 AM

      Hi Vishwanath,

      This fake Google app is a paid app. Google never charges for their apps. So the developer of this fake app got an easy source to dupe people and make some money.

      Thanks.

      Reply
  14. Avatar Virendra Patel • April 3, 2014 at 10:54 AM

    I am really surprise hearing this news but this information is nice and helpful to lots.

    Reply
  15. Avatar rakesh • April 3, 2014 at 12:11 PM

    Hi, I think there should be quick heal security wherein spam threads should be automatically detected and removed from the main stream, this would give a good and secure user experience

    Reply
  16. Avatar TN VERMA • April 3, 2014 at 2:42 PM

    FOR BEST PROTECTION PC, LAPTOP, TABLET & SMART PHONES USE ONLY QUICK HEAL PRODUCTS.

    Reply

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