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Mobile app protection

Fake apps, found and taken down.

Scammers copy your app and list it on app stores, APK sites and fake download pages to steal logins, payments and one-time codes. Unphish finds the fake apps and listings using your name and logo, and gets them removed.

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Fake apps · copying “Solstice Pay”Example
  1. APK site
    Solstice Pay 4.2 (Mod).apkRe-uploaded copy of the real app, changed by someone else
    Removed
  2. Store
    Solstice Pay Wallet PROCopycat app from an unknown developer
    Removed
  3. Web
    solsticepay-app.click“Download our new app” site serving a fake APK
    Offline
  4. Play
    Solstice Pay RewardsFake rewards app using the logo and screenshots
    Reported
4fake apps found
3already removed
4places they hid

How it works

Found wherever your app can be downloaded.

Your app is how customers log in, pay and manage their accounts, which makes it worth copying. We find the fake apps across app stores, third-party marketplaces, APK sites and download pages, prove they're not yours and get them removed.

01

Detect

We search every app source.

Official app stores, third-party marketplaces, APK download sites and fake “get our app” websites are checked for apps using your name, logo or screenshots.

App storesThird-party storesAPK sitesDownload sitesTeam reports
02

Investigate

Real app or copy?

Evidence is captured automatically, including screenshots, developer details, package names and logos. AI-assisted analysis scores the risk and an analyst validates it.

AI-assisted analysisDeveloper detailsPackage namesScreenshots
03

Disrupt

Removed from the store.

Reviewed threats go to enforcement in one click, reported to the app store, marketplace or host with evidence attached. If action is slow or refused, we escalate.

One-click enforcementApp storesMarketplacesEscalation
04

Understand

See who's behind them.

Apps from the same developer or infrastructure are clustered into campaigns, and removed listings are checked so you know if they're uploaded again.

Threat clustersVerification checksReportsAudit trail

What we remove

Every kind of fake app, taken down.

Fake apps look polished, borrow your branding and sit where your customers go looking for you. These are the ones we find and remove.

Fake apps

Solstice Pay Wallet PRO

Apps built to imitate your brand, product or service

Cloned and copycat apps

com.solsticepay.wallet.pro

Apps that copy your design, descriptions and user journeys

Re-uploaded APKs

Solstice Pay 4.2 (Mod).apk

Copies of your real app, re-hosted and possibly changed

Malicious apps

Needs SMS access

Apps using your brand to steal logins, payments or codes

Fake download sites

solsticepay-app.click

Websites telling people to download a “new” app

Third-party marketplaces

apkfree-store.net

Unofficial stores and aggregators listing your app without permission

Unauthorised listings

Developer: SP Mobile Apps

Apps uploaded to major stores without your approval

Logo and trademark misuse

Copied icon and name

Your name, logo or product references used without permission

Misleading app details

“Official rewards app”

Fake descriptions, screenshots, reviews or developer details

Found a fake version of your app?

Send us the link. We'll check it, capture the evidence and get it removed from the store or site.

Send us the link →

The results

Proven on real fake app cases.

From fraudulent mobile app and fake app download site cases we closed for our clients in the first half of 2026.

92%

of fake apps and app download sites we pursued were taken down

97%

of fake app listings we found were on third-party app stores, not the official ones

57%

of fake app download sites used a .click domain

1 click

to send a reviewed fake app straight to enforcement

Where fake apps were found

  • Fake download sites71%
  • Third-party app stores28%
  • Official app stores1%

Most fake apps never reach the official stores. They're shared as download links and re-uploaded to APK sites and unofficial marketplaces, often across many stores at once.

Source: Unphish fraudulent mobile app and fake app download site cases opened January to June 2026. Takedown rates exclude cases closed for other reasons, such as at the client's request.

Case study · Casino and entertainment group

95%

of the fake app sites and listings we pursued were taken down.

Copies of the group's app were being shared on download sites and re-uploaded to unofficial app stores, putting customers at risk of installing something that wasn't theirs.

What we found

  • 80 fake app sites and listingsSpread across download sites, APK sites and third-party stores in three months
  • Re-uploaded in many languagesThe same app listed again and again in different language versions of one marketplace
  • Escalated until removedEach one reported to the store or host with evidence, and escalated when it stayed up

Client name withheld to protect confidentiality. April to June 2026.

How the scam works

Same logo, different developer.

A fake app copies your name, icon, screenshots and description, so it looks just like the real thing. The giveaways are in the details most people never check: who made it, what it's called underneath, and what it asks to access.

  • The icon and screenshots are copied from your real listing
  • The developer name is close, but not yours
  • It asks for access your real app never needs, like reading SMS codes
  • It's shared by link, so it never has to pass an app store review
Explore phishing protection →
App listing checkExample

Real app

SP
Solstice PaySolstice Pay Pty Ltd
Package
com.solsticepay.app
Store
Official app stores
Access
Camera, notifications

Fake app

SP
Solstice Pay Wallet PROSP Mobile Apps
Package
com.solsticepay.wallet.pro
Store
APK download site
Access
Read SMS, accessibility
Unknown developer · asks to read SMS codesRemoved

Scams Prevention Framework

Ready for Australia's Scams Prevention Framework?

The SPF requires banks, telcos and digital platforms to take reasonable steps to prevent, detect, disrupt and report scams. Unphish gives you the action and the evidence to show you have.

How Unphish supports the SPF →

01

Prevent

Spot lookalike domains, fake profiles and scam ads before they reach your customers.

02

Detect

Continuous monitoring across the web, social media, app stores and ads.

03

Disrupt

Rapid removal of scam websites, accounts and ads, backed by enforcement-grade evidence.

04

Report

A complete audit trail of every detection and takedown, ready for regulator reporting.

What's included

Everything you need to protect your app.

CasesSearch…⌘K
←CASE-20260602-9D4B36P1Export Case Packet
https://apkfree-store.net/app/solstice-pay-wallet-proUnphishScan

Case status

Resolved

State: Closed

Verification history

DownListing removed by marketplace6 Jun 2026, 14:18
Listing screenshotCaptured
SP
Solstice Pay Wallet PROSP Mobile Apps★ 4.8 · 10K+ downloads
Download APK

Package: com.solsticepay.wallet.pro

Permissions: Read SMS, Accessibility

OverviewEvidence & AnalysisTimelineNotes

Description of abuse

Copy of the Solstice Pay app listed on a third-party app store by an unknown developer, asking for access to SMS codes

Threat type
Fraudulent mobile app
Platform
Third-party app store
Detected
2 Jun 2026
Case age
4 days to resolve

Outcome

Successfully removed

Classification confidence96%
  • Screenshot evidence available
  • Developer and package captured
  • Linked to 3 other listings

Add a comment

Add a comment for your enforcement team
Add comment

Illustration of the Unphish client portal with example data.

App store monitoringOfficial app stores watched for apps using your name, logo and screenshots
Third-party stores and APK sitesUnofficial marketplaces, aggregators and APK sites, where most fake apps are found
Fake download site removal“Get our app” websites taken down at the host and registrar
Official apps whitelistedYour real apps and developer accounts recorded so they're never flagged
AI-assisted analysisEvidence gathered and risk-scored before an analyst validates every threat
One-click enforcementReviewed threats move straight into takedown, where configured
EscalationIf a store or host is slow or says no, we escalate through alternative contacts and abuse channels
Removal verifiedAutomated checks confirm the listing is gone and flag it if it's uploaded again
Threat intelligenceApps from the same developers, packages or infrastructure clustered into campaigns
Spotted one? Send it inIf a customer or staff member finds a suspicious app, send us the link
Evidence capturedScreenshots, developer details, package names and logos ready for every report
Reporting and audit trailDashboards, timelines, scheduled reports and a record of every action

Why it's different

Unphish vs a reactive approach.

Reactive approachWith Unphish
Visibility

Customers tell you about a fake app

Continuous monitoring of stores and download sites

Detection

Found after customers are scammed

Detected and risk-scored early

Patterns

Each listing handled on its own

Same developers and sites linked into campaigns

Takedown

Manual reports to each store

Evidence-backed reports, escalated when needed

After removal

Nobody checks for re-uploads

Removal verified, re-uploads tracked

Reporting

Scattered emails and screenshots

One dashboard with timelines and outcomes

Customers downloading an app that isn't yours?

Request a takedown →

FAQ

Mobile app protection questions, answered.

What is a fake mobile app?

It's an app that copies your name, logo, screenshots or description to trick people into installing it. Fake apps are used to steal logins, payment details and one-time codes, or to send customers to scam services.

Where do you find fake apps?

On official app stores, third-party marketplaces and APK sites, and on websites telling people to download a “new” version of your app. In the first half of 2026, 97% of the fake app listings we found were on third-party stores rather than the official ones.

How do you get fake apps removed?

We report each one to the app store, marketplace or host with evidence that the app and branding are yours, including screenshots, developer details and package names, and escalate if action is slow. 92% of the fake apps and app download sites we pursued in the first half of 2026 were taken down.

Do you monitor third-party app stores and APK sites?

Yes. Most fake apps never reach the official stores, so we watch unofficial marketplaces, aggregators and APK download sites as well as Google Play and the App Store.

What if a fake app is uploaded again?

Removed listings are checked automatically, and re-uploads are linked back to the original case and campaign so they can be reported again quickly.

Can our customers or staff report a suspicious app?

Yes. Anyone on your team can send us a link to a suspicious app or download site at any time, and it goes through the same evidence, validation and takedown process.

Does Unphish help with the FTC Impersonation Rule?

Yes. The FTC Impersonation Rule has been in force since April 2024, with civil penalties up to $53,088 per violation. Unphish helps US organizations detect, disrupt and document impersonation scams, with a complete audit trail of every detection and takedown.

Spot the fake

Can you spot the fake apps?

A customer searches for the Solstice Pay app. Six results come up. Some are real, some are copies, and one fake is sitting on an official store.

  1. Spot
  2. Reveal
  3. Take down

Real or fake?

solstice pay app
  1. SP

    Solstice Pay

    Solstice Pay Pty Ltd · App Store · ★ 4.7 · 1M+

    Pay, send money and track your rewards.

  2. SP

    Solstice Pay 4.2 (Mod).apk

    Uploaded by apk-free-dl · APK site

    Premium features unlocked. No app store needed.

  3. SP

    Solstice Pay Business

    Solstice Pay Pty Ltd · Google Play · ★ 4.5 · 50K+

    Take card payments for your business.

  4. SP

    Solstice Pay Wallet PRO

    SP Mobile Apps · Third-party store · ★ 4.9 · 10K+

    Allow SMS access to verify your account.

  5. SP

    Solstice Pay Rewards

    Rewards Hub Ltd · Google Play · ★ 4.8 · 5K+

    The official rewards app. Claim your $50 sign-up bonus.

  6. solsticepay-app.click

    Website · Sponsored

    Our app has moved! Download the new version here.

Tag all six, then check your answers.

Results

Real
  • Solstice PayMade by Solstice Pay Pty Ltd, on the official store, with years of downloads.
  • Solstice Pay BusinessA second app is normal. Same developer, official store, a different job.
Fake
  • (Mod).apkA changed copy of the real app on an APK site. It could be made to do anything.
  • Wallet PROUnknown developer, and a payments app never needs to read your SMS codes.
  • RewardsIt's on an official store, but the developer isn't Solstice Pay and real apps don't pay you to install.
  • solsticepay-app.clickApps don't move. A download link on a .click site skips every store check.

Take them down

Each fake lives somewhere different, so each one is reported a different way.

Re-uploaded APKAPK site + host

Reported with proof the app and its branding are yours.

Fake store listingApp store impersonation

Reported to the store with developer and package evidence.

Fake download siteHost + registrar

The site is taken down, and so is the fake app it serves.

Fake apps get uploaded again. Removed listings are checked, so you know if they come back.

Liked that one? Follow us on LinkedIn for scam insights, research, takedown stories and company news.

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By industry

Fake apps in your industry.

If your customers use your app to log in or pay, someone will try to copy it. See what we remove in your sector.

01

Banking and Financial Services

Fake banking apps asking for logins and codes.

02

Fintech

Copycat wallets and payment apps.

03

Crypto

Fake wallets and trading apps.

04

Retail and E-Commerce

Fake shopping and loyalty apps.

05

Airline and Transport

Fake booking and rewards apps.

06

Lottery and Gambling

Re-uploaded casino and betting apps.

07

Public Sector and Government

Fake government service apps.

08

Non-Profit Organisations

Fake donation apps.

09

Film and Entertainment

Fake streaming and ticketing apps.

Keep exploring

SolutionPhishing ProtectionShut down fake login pages fast → SolutionScam ProtectionTake down every piece of the scam → SolutionDomain ProtectionCatch lookalike domains early → SolutionTakedownHow our takedowns work →

See where your name is being misused.

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