Over 100 fake apps and games have been discovered in the Windows Store which are using popular names to trick users into downloading them. Some are free, but most are priced at $4.99 and others go for up to $28.99, in a clear attempt to generate as much revenue from ignorant Windows 8 and Windows RT customers.
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WinBeta, which first spotted the fake apps, found them by searching for “how to use.” While this phrase is tacked on to the end of the titles for these apps, it is cut off when browsing the store.
A closer look shows that the publishers for these so-called apps include GreenHot, BA MEDIA, Hot Girl, Facebook Pro, MAHN TIEN, and Angry Birds Pro. Searching for either of these terms brings back even more results of fake submissions.
These apps aren’t just targeting third-party titles: there are even mentions of Microsoft’s own Office, OneNote, Publisher, Word, and other such offerings. It’s frankly mind-boggling that any of these were accepted into the store, but even more surprising that fake Microsoft apps made it in as well.
Microsoft recently announced that the Windows Store had surpassed the 100,000-app milestone. Not only is that far behind the competition, and it took the company very long to reach the six-digit figure, but apparently at least some of the submissions shouldn’t have ever been counted in the first place.
Source: TNW
