Fake ChatGPT Apps Start to Steal User Data: Delete These Apps Now

Urian B., Tech Times 03 February 2023, 07:02 pm

The rise of artificial intelligence has allowed chatbots to become increasingly popular in recent years. ChatGPT is just one of these chatbots and has become incredibly popular online. Unfortunately, where there is popularity, there is malicious intent, and hackers have begun to take advantage of the popularity of ChatGPT.

Fake Apps Spotted in App Store and Google Play Store

Hackers have left fake copies of ChatGPT available in the App Store and Google Play Store. These malicious apps are being offered for a fee that can be quite expensive. Not only do these malicious apps look to take advantage of people financially, but the real danger lies in the possibility of a hacker using the fake apps to steal users' data.

Listed below are some fake apps spotted in the App Store and Google Play Store, so it's important to look for them. The apps listed below were initially listed in the story by Giz China, which notes the fake GPT apps that users should delete. The list was also found in an article by Tom's Guide.

Here are the Top Fake GPT Apps Spotted on Android and iOS

Android:

AI Chat Companion
ChatGPT 3: ChatGPT AI
ChatGPT AI Writing Assistant
Open Chat - AI Chatbot App
Talk GPT - Talk to ChatGPT

iOS:

Alfred - Chat with GPT 3
Chat AI: Personal AI Assistant
Genie - GPT AI Assistant
Open Chat - AI Chatbot
TalkGPT - Talk to ChatGPT
Wisdom AI - Your AI Assistant
Write For Me GPT AI Assistant

The Dangers of Malicious Apps on ChatGPT Platforms

If you are a ChatGPT user, it is important to be aware of these malicious apps and the dangers that can accompany them. Suppose you are shopping around for an AI chatbot. In that case, it is incredibly important to confirm that the app you are downloading is the real thing and not someone attempting to take advantage of AI technology maliciously.

Recently, a company named Top10VPN has conducted an in-depth analysis of the most popular ChatGPT-based applications and concluded that many of the apps were, in fact, unsafe and not worth the user's time.

Examining the Potential for OpenAI Abuse on Mobile Apps

These apps were identified as 'unclean,' 'fake,' and invading the users' privacy to use their data. Furthermore, the platform criticized some apps for charging an expensive amount for services usually offered for free by OpenAI.

The most concerning thing to come out of Top10VPN's research is the likelihood that these applications are violating the users' privacy. Upon further investigation, it was found that the Android apps had intrusive personal data collected through the use of third-party tracking, IP addresses, and device fingerprinting.

iOS apps, on the other hand, are guilty of intrusive personal data collection, logging chat content, phoning home to the server, and having privacy label inaccuracies. As if that wasn't enough, some of these apps have also been found to be using OpenAI's GPT-3 technology to charge as much as $15,000 per year for access.