Fake WhatsApp app on Play Store downloaded by over 5 million users

A fake version of WhatsApp has been discovered on the Google Play Store, with more than five million users having already downloaded the app. The discovery comes days after a counterfeit version of Google Chrome was found on the platform, raising concerns over the safety of downloading apps even from official app stores.

According to a report by Android Authority, the fake WhatsApp app has been available on the Google Play Store since September. A Reddit user was among the first to raise the alarm about the app, which reportedly appeared as a sponsored listing by exploiting the platform's advertising feature.

The app was uploaded to the Play Store through a developer account named Agment Assets sallu. It used screenshots and descriptions from the genuine WhatsApp application to mislead users into believing it was authentic.

The fake app reportedly bypassed security checks by exploiting Google's Early Access programme. Apps listed under this programme do not allow public user reviews, preventing potential users from seeing warnings or feedback from others and making it more difficult to identify fraudulent applications.

Last week, a fake Google Chrome app that had been downloaded more than 100,000 times was removed from the Play Store. The discovery of the counterfeit WhatsApp app shortly afterwards has intensified criticism of the platform's advertising and app-screening mechanisms.

The official WhatsApp application currently has more than 10 billion downloads and millions of reviews on the Play Store.

Experts advise users to check the developer's name and review ratings before downloading applications. The official WhatsApp app is published by WhatsApp LLC. Users should verify the developer's identity and examine available reviews to avoid falling victim to fake applications.