Apple has insisted that it only allows users to download iOS apps through the App Store to ensure they are not affected by scams. However, some apps have been able to bypass the App Store’s review rules and quietly make their way onto the shelves. Most recently, there was a fake Trezor Wallet app that misled users into thinking it was an official app for managing Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.
Trezor is a legitimate cryptocurrency wallet, but some iPhone users noticed a fake app called “Trezor Wallet Suite” popping up on the App Store a few weeks ago. Rafael Yakob of The Crypto Lawyers reports that the app is ranked #1 in the App Store search results in the US and UK, which is very concerning. “The app has been around for a few weeks, and while the total number of victims is unknown, it is likely in the hundreds or thousands,” Yakob said. Yakob said.
The fake app asks users for a lot of personal data, which could be used for malicious purposes. Apple has now removed the app from the App Store.
To the dismay of users, Apple is not very friendly to Bitcoin apps. Many legitimate iOS apps that can manage bitcoin and other cryptocurrency wallets are often rejected by Apple, while scam apps like this one are able to get through Apple’s review process.
Apple allows cryptocurrency apps to be shelved on the App Store, but there are strict conditions. For example, developers must have permission and permission to operate in the region where the app is on the shelf, and apps cannot use cryptocurrency to unlock content or features.
Last week, Apple threatened to remove the social networking app Damus from the App Store because it allowed users to reward individuals for their posts using “Zaps,” a microtransaction based on Bitcoin. Damus had to be removed from the iOS app to keep it available on the App Store, which Apple claims is the equivalent of selling digital content.
While Apple claims that the App Store “is a place you can trust” and is against sideloading, the reality is that even Apple can’t guarantee that the App Store is free of fraudulent apps. If Apple really wants to prove that the App Store is a safe place, it should make sure that fake and fraudulent apps like these never appear in its store.
