Topic: Depending on Google play store safety, is it really safe? (Read 300 times)

Google aren't doing enough. Taking it down after tons of complains isn't the best way. The damage would have already been done and probably, the scammer or hacker must have acquired enough capital or need details to start up another platform or sort desired purpose. Google should really be answerable to apps on their platform.
I was in the service board sometime ago and I saw LoyceV's terms of service to a possible contractor requiring his service, he said "should the campaign turn out to be a scam, he would stop and won't refund the funds' ' he also made it clear to a customer that, he wasn't going to represent a platform he or she wasn't sure about'. This is what google play store should do or be like.

On the part of users, we don't have to be too hasty in downloading just any app or allow just any app to exist on our device. If you ain't using it frequently or at all, why have it, delete before it becomes trouble. You don't have to download based on the comments that followed or the ratings. If people could but followers and likes on pictures, same can apply here. The comments and recommendations could be bought or coming from a team. You never can tell.
I prefer what everyone in this community is used to. You can hardly go wrong with the community of bitcoin enthusiast, Bitcointalk

People are waaay too comfortable with those nice shiny and friendly interfaces that appear like magic. They hardly ever stop to think that someone else created it, controls it and might be an absolute asshole.

The way the world has turned has created a pretty dangerous disconnect between your interface and whatever's going on at the other end.

Download any money app or crypto wallet apps through their official websites link only, there is always a option to download apk direct into your smartphone on the official website or get redirect to the apk on google playstore, this is the best way to stay out of scammers plot

The thing though is, on the Google Play Store, ratings and downloads can somehow be faked; and we've seen that with the dozens of fake MEW wallets we've seen on the Google Play Store in the past.

A better solution would mostly be to go to the wallet's official website, and open the linked Google Play Store link.

Well, I mostly download apps related to crypto on my android phone. I prefer visiting the product website  directly and then downloading the app directly from there. I have stopped using Google play store directly after reading about so many fake apps on this board. I am planning to switch from android to iOS because of the security concern in the latter.

Well, one of the most common applications for android is the good play and some of the people wanting because of this convenient application still its better if they keep aware of the legit and authentic application.  AFAIK today if you have a higher android version and updated google play they mostly recommend the top and reliable application even if you search for example "electrum wallet" they will automatically give to you the original electrum wallet app still its better if we don't rely only this.

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Well we are talking about safety there are a lot of thread compiled by OcTradism which can very helpful
Good topics on security and privacy

The peer review or QA/ QC on Google Play is an questionable problem and no matter how the app submission is processed, the truth is you will get phishing app on Google Play if you always search for app on Google Play. It is expanded to any store (less or more phishing apps, it can depend on each store but your activities are the ones will protect you or expose you to phishing apps).

Officially visit websites & download apps, not fake ones. This guide can help newbies.

To be honest, I can not understand why people don't find apps on official sites. It is very simple, easy to do and safer.

In crypto, some big sites can be considered as very first destinations to search for projects' fundamental links (websites, github, explorers, market pairs, etc.). Start with coinmarketcap.com or coingecko.com and get official links. You can make double checks with Google search results.

Android is like a completely free environment which allows everyone to perform the tasks as they wish and Google also following the same thing with simple restrictions just for the sake of their name.Google actually takes down the apps once they receive enough oppose but people who are too stupid are the one become prey for such fake apps.

The most trusted crypto wallets and app on playstore always have the highest ratings and downloads, popular crypto wallet like trust wallet has over one million downloads so far, that's because it's legit and no single bad review yet, let that sink in newbies, don't go on playstore trying out new crypto wallets, Scammers aren't smiling right now

Scammers using Google have been promoting various types of scams for a long time. Now its level has increased further, because the situation in the crypto market is very good. Some people are using the Google Play Store to steal various important information from crypto users. New crypto users first use the Google Play Store to search for crypto wallets, they may have mistakenly installed these fake apps so that control of their entire fund goes to scammers.

As you said, I hope Google authorities will take appropriate action on this issue soon.

The prices of Android phones are relatively cheap. Why not allocate a device to try new applications and make sure of them and the second device is for your personal information and applications that you are sure are 100% safe.
If the application is a wallet, be careful and choose the fewest reliable applications possible.

The reason why they choose play store to upload their fake wallets because there are lots of users who download there and sometimes people are absent-minded without thinking twice when downloading wallets. sometimes victims of such scams fallen for these baits that's why the trick will not get old. right now they are multiplied because of the current situation of the market. When the market is flourishing, those scammers are scattered and one of their tricks is to make a fake wallet on the play store.

All popular crypto wallets have official websites, newbies should start downloading crypto wallet apps from official websites, stay away from google playstore as it's been filled with too many cloned mobile wallets nowadays, I think that google should start treating their store like an exchange to keep their reputation on a trust level

The Google Play style of handling apps(freedom and all that) is definitely no doubt the way to go for most of us here that know what we're doing. With that said, I don't see the Apple walled-garden style as a totally bad thing. Apple's platform is just fool-proof enough to be a better recommendation for people who don't know crap about security(and is totally incapable of learning about tech).

Hihihi, isn't this lovely?
So a policed environment where apps are more reviewed more strictly and not everyone can submit one free is safer than one where requirements are laxer. Let's for a moment think how safe would be a totally decentralized and free system where everyone would be able to publish its app and there will be no censorship, no removal, no nothing...like some projects were aiming for! I guess the word that would be characterized it best would be pure sh...!

This one is quite a harsh lesson, for some people there needs to be somebody who tells them what's wrong and what's good, someone that denies them the possibility of making a bad move, like baby proof bottles. Total freedom is not for everyone!


Just taking care of what wallets you're downloading is not enough, you must be careful every time you install something or download something:
{Warning}: New "Alien" malware targets banking and crypto apps
Basically, never let your guard down!

Well yeah, we can say that several wallets address downloadable at Google Play store wasn't safe but I think everything is in online was not safe. That is why before downloading any software or click any links make sure that they are the real deal because in some cases there are several duplicate websites that exactly look the same as the original one, so be wary. For better security, it is highly recommended to download wallet applications directly on their website.

I've seen too many probably fake crypto wallet on crypto this days, the problem is newbies aren't ready to do research on the most popular crypto wallets, they end up downloading any wallets just to give a try, the safest way to download crypto wallets isn't through Google play store but through the wallet official website, from the website you will be redirect to the legit app on playstore for download

                                                             GOOGLE PLAY STORE SAFETY DOESN'T MAKE YOUR DEVICE IMMUNE

I recently wiped my device in entire for a fresh start through restore factory setting which brings the device to a factory default due to a possible security bridge although, it came as a hunch but, I don't want to take chances. This became a last resort while I was browsing and noticed a pop up requiring permission to send information to some third party application which I new not though, I had apps like Trell (an Indian) app that bugged me by self installation even after deleting it severally.
This i traced to be due to my turning off the default device system that restricts installation of apps from unknown source. Most of us do this when we tend to install applications gotten through Xender.

The question now is, does it really help?
That's is, the default settings that restricts installation of applications from unknown sources.

To verify this fact, I had to research on how and what it takes to publish an app on google play store and I discovered this:

How To Submit An App To The Google Play Store

App store submission is a crucial step in releasing a successful app. In contrast to Android Google playstore, Apple app store is relatively safe than the regular Android playstore. This is due to the fact that,
 Apple has a strict review process as the App store only allowed the publication of top quality apps. These release standards benefit mobile users by limiting publication to only the best products which are Apple's App Store standards. In the Google Play Store, apps have a low chance of being rejected hence there exists a possibility of unreviewed app publication hereby developers can just publish which ever app so long as they satisfy certain requirements.

Prerequisites to Publishing an App on Google Play Store
 
Unique Bundle ID to represent your app.
A signed release version of your application as an APK, which means you need a signing certificate.
A developer account is necessary to distribute an application through Google Play. This only needs to be performed once and does involve a one time fee of $25 USD.

SOURCE: https://clearbridgemobile.com/how-to-submit-an-app-to-the-google-play-store/

These are easy to access and gain details which can be accessed by just anyone any day. Especially now that you can buy identities from hackers who phish for these details and scammers online to perpetuate evil. This explains why of recent, there are series of topics and red flagged apps which seems to be a direct piracy of the original for some evil intended purposes yet to be correctly determined on the Bignners and help board of this forum. Some of these red flagged notifying topics on certain apps includes: