Scam AI apps trick users – here’s how to stay safe

Artificial intelligence (AI)-powered chatbots are all the rage, but be careful when downloading mobile apps that use this technology.

A new report finds scammers flooding app stores with software that claims to use OpenAI’s ChatGPT. Apps often charge high subscription fees and display intrusive ads.

“AI apps have exploded since the advent of generative AI and chatbots like ChatGPT and Bard,” Josh Davis, marketing manager at cybersecurity firm Fortra, told Lifewire in an email interview. “Everyone is rushing to push AI bots, and many are developing AI applications that perform specific functions such as making presentations, animating, and generating stock images. Distinguishing non-genuine can be very difficult, increasing the chances of accidentally downloading an illegal app masquerading as a useful new AI tool.”

fleeceware app

New AI apps are trying to force users to pay subscription fees ranging from $9.99 to $69.99, according to a recent study by cybersecurity firm Sophos. These apps also use tactics such as severely restricting app usage and functionality without a subscription.

“The developers of these misleading apps combine advertising inside and outside the app store with fake reviews that leverage the store’s rating system to lure unsuspecting device users into downloading. If so, then we charge automatic subscription fees that users may not know are coming, or encourage them to buy a ‘pro’ version subscription that promises better features but fails to deliver.” The authors of the book write

Investigators examined one iOS AI app in Apple’s App Store. They found that the “pro” features that users pay for are essentially the same as those available for free to registered users of ChatGPT.

According to the report, “Among the thousands of short four-star reviews are people who downloaded the app only to see ads or who unlocked it but never answered a question. And so on, comments from people who felt it didn’t work.” “One user reported that the reply to every message was ‘Sorry, I didn’t understand your message’.”

Caroline Wong, chief strategy officer of cybersecurity firm Cobalt.io, warned in an email that AI apps that aren’t in app stores could be even more dangerous.

“Scammers can create and promote fake websites that look like the real thing,” she added.
“Be careful of unfamiliar sites and double-check the spelling of the site name before clicking. Potential phishing.”

Keep in mind that even legitimate apps can pose privacy risks. British intelligence agencies have warned that AI chatbots like ChatGPT pose a security threat as sensitive queries can be hacked or leaked.

“There’s always a risk when you download an app, whether it’s an AI chat app or not,” says Davis. “Apps request access to device information such as location, contacts, and even screen recording capabilities. These permissions are necessary for legitimate apps to perform their core functionality. People are accustomed to granting access, but this can be abused to get data, monitor location, monitor activity, and more.”

Stay safe with AI apps

Davis points out that the most secure AI apps are those owned by companies such as Microsoft and Google. For example, Bing recently incorporated ChatGPT 4 into its search functionality, allowing users to access the latest version of ChatGPT without paying for his premium subscription.

But when you stray from the offerings of big tech companies, it can be difficult to find out what’s safe and what’s not. Sophos reports that these “fleeceware” apps fall within the scope of Apple’s and Google’s terms of service, so they were not rejected during review and are allowed to enter the app stores.

At the very least, it’s a good idea to take the necessary safeguards against other apps you don’t understand, Wong said.

“Avoid sharing personal information such as bank accounts, social security numbers, home or work addresses,” Wong added. “Users should be careful about what they share with AI chat apps.”