VPNCheck IT security researchers warn iPhone owners against 84 scam apps. Still currently available on the App Store, these apps were however reported by Avast in March 2021… They use overpriced subscription systems to charge users without their knowledge.
While Apple has always ensured that its closed model protects users against hackers and scams, the App Store is far from being a risk-free app store. Already in April 2022, two computer security researchers noted the explosion of scams and other dangerous applications on the iPhone and Mac App Store.
These experts are still wondering how these apps were able to slip through the cracks of the App Review, whose verification processes are nevertheless known to be particularly strict. In March 2021, Avast cybersecurity researchers have warned users about similar threats.
Indeed, the publisher of the famous antivirus had published a list of 133 fraudulent apps available on the App Store. The vast majority of these were “fleeceware”, sketchy apps designed to defraud users by charging excessive and usually difficult-to-cancel subscription fees. If these applications do not attack users and threaten their personal data like ransomware, the purpose remains the same: to get money.
Also read: These very popular iOS and Android apps are scams, uninstall them quickly!
Watch out for these 84 malicious apps on the App Store
However, and according to the specialized site VPNCheck, more than a year after the Avast revelations, 84 of the 133 malicious apps are still available for download on the App Store. These fraudulent applications total 500 million downloads, and would have generated a profit of 365 million dollars according to VPN Check estimates. Still according to the specialists of the suite, these apps bring in no less than $100 million a year.
So how to explain the presence of these malicious apps? According to VPN Check, “it may not be in Apple’s interest to address the problem”. For good reason, these applications bring in a lot of money, part of which necessarily goes to Apple, whether via the famous 30% commission or via the money invested by the developers to serve advertisements on the App Store.
“It’s almost ridiculous how easy it is to identify these apps based solely on publicly available information. Just read some one-star reviews on the App Store. We have no doubt that Apple will eventually fix this problem. It’s just in their interest that it takes a long, long time.” provides VPN Check. For more caution, we strongly advise you to consult the complete list of 84 malicious apps available on the VPN Check article.