Over one million Android users have downloaded a fake version of the popular messaging application WhatsApp, it has emerged.
Motherboard reports an app called Update WhatsApp, which bears an icon similar to the official logo, tricked an unfathomable amount of users.
The convincing fake even listed WhatsApp Inc. as the developer on the Play Store listing.
With the million+ downloads, the report claims the fake app is the most successful of its kind.
And it’s not gone yet…
Crazily, the app is still live on the Google Play Store under the moniker Dual Whatsweb Update.
The malicious software riddled the unfortunate victims’ phones with advertisements.
In this instance, it appears as if the unscrupulous developer in question was simply attempting to make a quick buck from ad impressions.
It doesn’t seem as if the software has been designed to commandeer the phone in question or steal the personal data of unsuspecting Android users.
While little damage appears to have been done, it’s rather remarkable this app was able to make it through Google’s Play Store’s vetting process and stay live for so long.
“We see so many fake copies and fraudulent apps,” Mike Murray of mobile security firm Lookout told Motherboard.
“It’s always going to be a cat and mouse game between the bad guys and the good guys.”
Neither the developer nor Google have commented on the incident thus far.
A fake and possibly malicious version of Facebook-owned WhatsApp was found lurking on Google Play Store.
A fake and possibly malicious version of Facebook-owned WhatsApp was found lurking on Google Play Store as "Update WhatsApp Messenger" with developer name as 'WhatsApp Inc*'.
When checked it on the Play Store, we found the app has been downloaded up to 5,000 times. There is another version under the same name which has a million downloads.
The original WhatsApp has 1 billion downloads.
The existence of the shady software was first highlighted by the popular WhatsApp change tracking website WABetaInfo, via Twitter user @MujtabaMHaq, IB Times reported late on Thursday.
According to the report, a version of popular mobile game Temple Run 2 can also be found which was uploaded in October.
The software posing as WhatsApp Business already have several users complaining about it in comments section.
"DON'T DOWNLOAD THIS APP! IT'S FAKE! WhatsApp Business is not officially available yet for all," the WABetaInfo social media account tweeted to its 30,000 followers.
It added: "Check only official channels to download WhatsApp Business in future."
WhatsApp Business is yet to launch as a standalone service.
WhatsApp Down trending top in India
WhatsApp users across the world, including in India, heaved a sigh of relief on Friday after the instant messaging app was restored after it went down globally, sending people into a tizzy.
Users were able to send and receive messages and could log into their WhatsApp accounts after a brief outage period.
According to an Independent website DownDetector, 60 per cent of customers were having issues connected to Facebook-owned WhatsApp. People experienced problems sending texts or were unable to log into the app.
"A further 25 per cent report issues receiving messages and 14 per cent are struggling to login," Express.co.uk said.
Several users took to Twitter to confirm the development and vent their frustration with #whatsappdown trending on the micro-blogging site.
WhatsApp was also down in India and people were unable to connect with their friends or relatives.
People experienced a similar situation in May this year for a few hours in most parts of the world.
WhatsApp has 1.3 billion monthly active users globally with over 200 million users in India.
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