Fake BlackBerry Messaging App Tricks 100,000 Android Users

For many years, BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) was one of the main selling points of RIM’s platform. It could even be said the messaging service kept the company afloat through some bad times. The recently renamed company announced earlier this year that BBM would be coming to iOS and Android in 2013. People were definitely excited, and that always brings out the bad guys. A fake BlackBerry Messenger Android app on Google Play recently garnered over 100,000 downloads.

The app looked more legitimate than most phony listings. The uploader was clever enough to choose the developer name “RIM.” While the company changed its name to BlackBerry, plenty of users don’t know that. So the name, icon, and screenshots looked right, and it jived with recent news. The developers also used fake reviews to make the app look more real. It’s not hard to see why it was downloaded by so many people so quickly.

The app itself is a devious little advertising platform. Upon opening, users were greeted with a bizarre notice that the app would start working on June 27th. Using a sketchy ad network, the app altered some settings under the guise of a user agreement popup. The app changed browser homepages, added a bookmark, and placed a link icon on the home screen. Yes, Android apps can do all those things on their own if they have the right permissions. Most users simply don’t check the permissions before downloading.

The app did not exist on the store for long—Google did kill the app and ban the related developer account (this was against virtually every rule in the developer agreement). However, the venture was probably still profitable for the perpetrators.

This is the other side of the coin when it comes to Google’s open application marketplace. Legitimate developers deal with fewer headaches making and updating apps, and users get more choice. Google does run some automated checks on apps, but it’s only looking for malware, not fake apps packed full of ads. You have to be a little more skeptical on Android.

Blackberry hasn’t offered an official launch date for BBM on Android or iOS. Rest assured, though, you’ll know when it happens.