How do I spot a fake AI chatbot app?
Warning signs in the app store
Look at who published the app. Well-known AI products usually have a clear company name, a website and a privacy policy. Be careful with apps that copy a famous name but have a different developer, or that have very few reviews for a product that should be popular.
Read recent reviews and look for complaints about charges, login problems or strange behavior. Check the permissions the app asks for. A chatbot does not usually need your contacts, precise location or full access to your photos.
- Check the developer name against the official site
- Look for a privacy policy and terms
- Question unusual permission requests
- Read recent reviews for complaints
Protecting your account
Get to the official product through a link you type yourself or find on the company's site. Avoid links in unexpected emails or text messages that ask you to log in. If an app asks for your full bank login, stop and close it.
Turn on two-factor sign-in when the service offers it. Use a unique password, and change it if you suspect a fake site collected your details.
- Type the official address yourself
- Never enter bank logins into a chat app
- Turn on two-factor sign-in
- Use a unique password for each service
Common mistakes
- Installing an app from a link in a message without checking the developer.
- Granting broad permissions that a simple chat app does not need.
- Entering account passwords on a site you reached through an ad.
