CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WBTV) – The next time you’re browsing the app store on your cellphone, you may want to inspect an app before you hit “download.”
Recent studies show artificial intelligence is contributing to a rise in fake and malicious apps.
In some cases, these mobile apps are part of a device hijacking scheme — and you won’t realize it’s happened until it’s too late.
A new report from DoubleVerify, an AI company that spots and stops online fraud, found that in 2025, there are three times as many fake apps on Apple and six times as many on Android.
Gilit Saporta, a vice president of product for fraud lab at DoubleVerify, said AI is being used to create fake apps. In some cases, the fake apps are copycats of real, reputable apps.
Saporta said AI is also being used to generate fake reviews.
Once you download one of these fake apps, you’re essentially giving away access to your phone and the personal data stored on it.
“Some of the apps are only going to demonstrate problematic behavior after installation, [even] a few days afterward,” Saporta said. “So, you’re seeing things like the device is going to heat up, or slow down, or the battery and data plan will drain super quickly. And then you’re trying to find the app that you remember installing, but it’s not even visible anymore because its icon has changed, and it’s not that easy to find and uninstall.”
Saporta said these are signs that malware is now on your phone.
In some cases, you’ll start getting pop-ups on your phone to the point where you can no longer use your phone at all.
How to vet mobile apps before downloading
Here’s what you should do to vet these apps before installing them.
- Never click on links via text or social media claiming to offer an app download.
- Pay attention to reviews. If you see thousands of five-star reviews, that could be a red flag that AI is involved. Look for any negative reviews that appear to be written by a human and take them seriously.
- Verify the app’s publisher. If the vendor is unfamiliar, click on the name to see if it has published other apps and research it online.
- Look at the numbers. If an app has been around for a long time and has a large customer base, that could be a sign it’s safe.
Companies like Apple and Android are constantly working to shut down these fraudulent apps, but the prevalence of AI makes it harder to do so.
Click here to report fake apps to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center.
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