Advertisement

Article

Microsoft has not cleaned international Windows Stores of fake apps

Microsoft has not cleaned international Windows Stores of fake apps
Jonathan Riggall

Jonathan Riggall

  • Updated:

Microsoft‘s work to clean up its Windows Store has left users outside the US cold. German site Dr Windows has accused the corporation of failing to remove fake apps from non-US stores, and its evidence is pretty damning.

We reported how the Windows Store was full of fake apps back in August. Ten days later, Microsoft responded by promising to revise its catalog of apps, adding that over 1500 misleading or fake apps had already been removed from the Windows Store. The fake apps in question generally used the names of other apps to trick users into paying for something that should otherwise be free, even with big names like iTunes and VLC media player.

VLC for Windows 8 fake apps

But apparently Microsoft has yet to do the same with stores in other countries. Dr Windows chronicles how it has found many fake and misleading apps in the Windows Store, but has not got any effective responses from Microsoft.

Regarding a fake Facebook App, Microsoft’s German customer service responded saying such an app was Facebook’s problem, and that it did not violate its Terms of Service. Eventually Microsoft said it would remove the offending apps from the store, but it only did so in the US version, enraging the German complainant.

The apps identified by Dr Windows had the following behavior in common:

– Misleading names and logos of other apps
– Charges for features that would be free in the official apps
– Intrusive advertising for more fraudulent apps
– Asking for device permissions that could compromise your personal data

As Microsoft is aware of these misleading apps, why is it not removing them from all of its Windows Stores?

Source: Dr Windows

Related Stories

The Windows Store is full of fraudulent apps and Microsoft doesn’t care

Microsoft responds to Windows Store fake app problem

Preview the next version of Windows on Sept 30

Follow Jonathan on Twitter: @jonathanriggall

Jonathan Riggall

Jonathan Riggall

Latest from Jonathan Riggall

Editorial Guidelines