Fake WhatsApp Clone Tops Play Store Sponsored Slot With 500K Downloads
The cloned listing copied WhatsApp's icon, screenshots and text, and was still live when the report was published.
A fake WhatsApp app appeared on the Google Play Store in a sponsored slot above the real WhatsApp listing and accumulated more than 500,000 downloads, according to Android Authority.
The clone was published by a developer account named Agment Assets sallu, which has no other apps listed on the Play Store. The listing used the same icon, screenshots and text as the real WhatsApp, and was still live at the time of writing.
The clone may have used Google Play's Early Access program to disable public user reviews, according to the report. Google did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Earlier this week, a Chrome clone was also spotted on the Play Store. The real WhatsApp listing carries more than 10 billion downloads, an editor's choice badge and over 246 million reviews.
Quick answers
How many downloads did the fake WhatsApp app get?
The clone had over 500,000 downloads.
Is the fake WhatsApp listing still on the Google Play Store?
Yes, the listing was still live at the time of writing.
Who published the fake WhatsApp app?
A developer account named Agment Assets sallu, which has no other apps listed on the Play Store.