Angry Customers Claim Apple App Store Is Full Of Worms

by Dan Seitz
Credit Cards › Credit Card News & Reviews
Angry Customers Claim Apple App Store Is Full Of Worms

Addicted to the Apple App Store? Your habit might be more dangerous than you think. According to the Huffington Post and the New York Times, shoppers have been filing tons of complaints about fraud on the digital store, claiming that hackers and scammers are getting out of control. 

The reports note that more than 1,000 gripes have been posted to the store’s message boards, citing everything from credit card fraud to compromised accounts. It seems that many customers have had credit card numbers stolen and bogus charges run up, making for a pretty unpleasant Apple experience.

The New York Times discovered that online hacker forums sell Apple user accounts for as little as $33, promising thieves thousands of dollars in credit. But it’s not just the customers who are getting hit—App developers have also filed complaints about missing payments.

And even if your account information stays safe, there’s not much protection for consumers who fall for fake apps or apps that are not reliable. Lurking among the blockbuster well-known apps are counterfeits that might not actually work, are unsecure, or even possibly tainted with viruses.

How To Purchase Apps Safely

So what’s an app addict to do? Since swearing off apps isn’t an option for the smartphone-obsessed, the best advice is to shop smart and make sure you’re as protected as possible. The first step: go to your Apple account and update your password. Apple itself recommends choosing a password that’s at least 8 characters long and uses a combination of letters, numbers and symbols. Changing your password on a regular basis could also help.

Once your account info is as password-protected as possible, it’s time to turn on your common sense. Take a close look at apps before you buy, taking the time to read reviews and see if there’s a long record of reviews. Sure, there might be bogus reviews out there, but usually well-rated, popular apps are a safer bet.

And your last line of defense? Keep an eye on your kids when they grab your phone. Their app tastes are not as discriminating, and they’re more likely to click themselves into app fraud trouble.

 

SOURCES:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/16/apple-ipad-app-store-scam-fraud-charges_n_1353669.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/16/technology/pressure-on-apple-builds-over-app-store-fraud.html

PHOTO CREDIT:

http://www.edibleapple.com

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