According to an Israeli mobile marketing analytics and attribution firm, apps that are enticing users to free products actually installed malware in the users devices accessing crucial data and tracks these devices. And these 'fake apps' are big business estimated to be worth US$2.3 billion globally in just first 6 months of this year.
Apps in categories such as Fintech, dating, travel and gaming, generally enticed users to download without requiring an invitation code, and they promise beta releases and tutorials. User data, including personal and financial data, 'extracted without permission' are then sold to companies or leaked. These apps also use stolen photos and other sensitive data to create fake accounts on online services and steal user identities