TikTok ads for fake stalkerware apps are scamming people who download them
Bitdefender has identified fake stalkerware apps on TikTok that promise invasive tracking features but are actually designed to scam users through subscription fees. These apps often use misleading marketing and AI-generated imagery to exploit user emotions.
Why it matters
It exposes a growing trend of predatory app store practices that leverage social media advertising to defraud consumers.
Fake “stalkerware” apps promoted on TikTok are being used to lure would-be snoops into paying for services that do not deliver the invasive capabilities advertised, according to new research from Bitdefender.
The company said it identified apps available on official app stores, including Google Play and in at least one case the Apple App Store, advertised through TikTok campaigns claiming users could track someone’s location, access private messages, uncover hidden accounts and recover deleted photos using only a phone number.
Bitdefender said the app store listings did not make the same claims as the TikTok ads, and the apps did not provide the promised features. Instead, it said the apps appear designed to generate subscription revenue, including through “free” trials that lead to charges and subscription mechanisms that continue billing.
Bitdefender noted that if the features promoted in the ads were functional, they would likely be illegal in many jurisdictions.
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