iPhone Users Urged To Delete 30 Apps Which Could Leave Them Seriously Out Of Pocket

Researchers from Sophos Labs have urged iPhone users to delete 30 apps that use 'fleeceware' to con you out of huge amounts of money

They’re some of the most popular smartphones around the world, but if you use an iPhone, a new report may make you reconsider which apps you have installed.

Researchers from Sophos Labs have urged iPhone users to delete 30 apps which can leave them seriously out of pocket.

The apps use ‘fleeceware’ - sneaky technology that charges very high subscriptions to unknowing users.

In a blog about the findings, Sophos explained: “In this latest round of research, we found more than 30 apps we consider fleeceware in Apple’s official App Store.

“Many of these apps charge subscription rates like $30 per month or $9 per week after a 3- or 7-day trial period. If someone kept paying that subscription for a year, it would cost $360 or $468, respectively. For an app.”


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Most of the apps identified by the researchers were image editors, horoscope/fortune telling/palm readers, QR code/barcode scanners, and face filter apps (scroll down for the full list).

And despite the fact that most are advertised on the App Store as ‘free’, they were found to charge users huge amounts.

Sophos explained: “If you think one of these apps is free and install it, the app presents you with a “free trial” notification immediately upon launching the app for the first time.

“This notification prompts the user to provide payment card details. In some cases, most of the useful features of the app will only be usable if you sign up for the subscription.

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“Some users may sign up to subscribe without reading the fine print, which includes the actual cost of the subscriptions.”

While the researchers focused on iOS apps in this study, they warned that many similar fleeceware apps are also present on the Google Play Store.

Based on the findings, the researchers are urging the public to be vigilant about the apps they install on their smartphones.

Sophos added: “Users should remain vigilant and carefully scrutinize the terms for purchasing or “subscribing” to apps promoted through in-app advertisements. If $30 a week seems like a lot to spend on astrology, a barcode reader, or an app that will show you what you’ll look like when you’re 80 years old, find another app.”



Meanwhile, if you have one of these fleeceware apps on your iPhone and want to cancel your subscription, here’s how:


The 30 fleeceware apps

Seer App:Face, Horoscope, Palm

Selfie Art – Photo Editor

Palmistry Decoder

Lucky Life – Future Seer

Life Palmistry – AI Palm & Tag

Picsjoy-Cartoon Effect Editor

Aging seer – Faceapp,Horoscope

Face Aging Scan-AI Age Camera

Face Reader – Horoscope Secret

Horoscope Secret

CIAO – Live Video Chat

Astro Time & Daily Horoscope

Video Recorder / Reaction

Crazy Helium Funny Face Editor

Banuba: Face Filters & Effects

QR Code Reader – Scanner

QR Code Reader & Barcode PRO

Max Volume Booster

Face Reading – Horoscope 2020

Forecast Master 2019

mSpy Lite Phone Family Tracker

Fortunescope: Palm Reader 2019

Zodiac Master Plus – Palm Scan

WonderKey-Cartoon Avatar Maker

Avatar Creator – Cartoon Emoji

iMoji – Cartoon Avatar Emojis

Life Insight-Palm & Animal Face

Curiosity Lab-Fun Encyclopedia

Quick Art: 1-Tap Photo Editor

Astroline astrology, horoscope

Celeb Twin – Who you look like

My Replica – Celebrity Like Me

SOURCE: MIRROR.CO.UK