The developer of Virus Shield, the Android security app that was exposed as a scam, has claimed it was all a mistake. Deviant Solutions’ Jesse Carter says the app was uploaded to Google Play by mistake, and that it was removed it as soon as he realized, and has not used any of the money he made from it.
Virus Shield was supposed to be an app that protected your Android device from malware and other threats in one click. But Android Police found that actually all that happened was a logo changed from an ‘X’ to a tick. By that time, it had risen to the top of the Google Play charts for premium apps, meaning thousands of users had paid for an app that did nothing.
Soon after this exposure, the app was removed from Google Play, leaving questions hanging in the air about Google’s system for accepting apps into the store, and how Virus Shield managed to survive so long before being discovered.
The app promised a lot:
- Prevents harmful apps from being installed on your device.
- Scans apps, settings, files, and media in real time
- Protects your personal information
- Strong antivirus signature detection
- Very low impact on battery life
- Runs in the background
- No, ZERO pesky advertisements
Now, the company explains that one of its developers uploaded a ‘placeholder’ test by accident, that had been made by the User Interface team. Carter didn’t notice for two weeks, taking it down as soon as he did. The app made $90,000, but Deviant Solutions’ account has been suspended by Google, so it can’t access the money, and it should eventually be refunded to users.
Google has not confirmed whether it was the developer or Google Play that took the app down. It’s not the first time Google’s more open system has led to bad or malicious apps being accepted into the store, but there are no signs that it intends to tighten its controls.
Source: The Guardian
