Fake Trezor Bitcoin App Rises to Top of iOS App Store Search

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One of Apple’s main arguments for making the App Store the only way to download apps on iOS is the app review process, which ensures users aren’t exposed to scams. Even so, some of these apps bypass App Store guidelines unnoticed. This is the case with a fake Trezor Wallet app, leading users to believe that it is an official app for managing Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies.

Update

An Apple spokesperson confirmed to 9to5Mac that Apple is always committed to user safety when downloading apps from the App Store. The fake Trezor app initially came with hidden Bitcoin features, which were later enabled by a server-side update. As soon as the violations were detected, Apple removed the app from the App Store.

You can read the original article below.

Fake Trezor Bitcoin app available on App Store

For those unfamiliar, Trezor is indeed a legit bitcoin and crypto wallet. But as noted by some iPhone users, a fake app called Trezor Wallet Suite was released on the App Store a few weeks ago. Despite using the name Trezor Wallet, it has nothing to do with Trezor.

Rafael Yakobi of The Crypto Lawyers reported that the app was appearing at the top of App Store search results in the US and UK, which is extremely worrying.

This application has been in place for weeks, although the total number of victims is unknown, it could easily be in the hundreds or thousands, Yakobi said. The fake Trezor Bitcoin app asks users for lots of personal data that can be used for evil purposes. Apple has already removed the app from the App Store.

Apple and cryptocurrencies

What irritates users is that Apple is not really friendly when it comes to bitcoin apps for iPhone and iPad. Several legitimate iOS apps for managing Bitcoin and other cryptocurrency wallets are routinely rejected by Apple, while scams like this bypass the company’s review process.

Apple allows Bitcoin and other cryptocurrency apps in the App Store under strict circumstances. For example, the developer must have a license and authorization to operate in the regions in which the application is available. Apps also cannot use cryptocurrencies to unlock content or functionality.

Last week, Apple threatened to remove social networking app Damus from the App Store because it allowed users to tip others on individual posts using Zaps, Bitcoin-based microtransactions. The company claimed that tipping individual posts is tantamount to selling digital content. Demus had to remove this option from the iOS app to keep it available on the App Store.

9to5Macs take

While Apple says the App Store is a place to trust and fights against sideloading, what happens in real life is that even Apple can’t keep the App Store free of scams. And, of course, it can be used against the company in court, as Apple has come under intense scrutiny from governments around the world because of the App Store on iOS.

If the company really wants to show that the App Store is a safe place, they need to make sure that fake and scam apps like this are never available on their store.

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