A fake Google Chrome appeared in the Play Store. Over 100,000 people might have fallen for it

For months, Google has been instilling in Android users that the safest way to get apps is through the Play Store, and it is gradually complicating installations outside of it. Nevertheless, a Chrome imitation persisted in the store for several weeks. The fake Google Chrome garnered over 100,000 downloads and, thanks to advertising, reached the top spot in search results. See how to recognize a similar fake before you install it.

The fake Chrome was made visible by an ad… for which Google got paid

The app was brought to attention by a Reddit user in the r/browsers community. When searching for Chrome in the Play Store, the first result that popped up was a sponsored suggestion, which ranked even above the legitimate browser. At first glance, it was indistinguishable: it had the official Chrome icon, a copied description, and screenshots. Only the developer’s name differed – instead of Google, it said “Hizbartech”.

The advertising is striking. The developer paid for the prominent position in Google’s advertising system, meaning Google was paid to promote an app impersonating its own browser. The sponsored suggestion is seen by the user first, even before the original, and anyone who quickly taps on the top result can easily fall for the scammer.

The app entered the store as a game

In any case, it was not a browser. The app arrived in the store on August 22 as an inconspicuous game called Ball Bounce, and only on September 30 did the developer rename it to Google Chrome and change its icon. Thus, it passed inspection as a game and only changed its appearance later. One curious user installed it and, upon launch, was presented with an avatar selection and then a strange chat application with AI-generated characters that responded to messages with random phrases.

There is no indication from current findings that the app was stealing data. And the number of installations itself needs to be taken with caution: the counter in the Play Store refers to the app’s entire existence, so it includes the period when it masqueraded as a harmless game. How many people downloaded it believing they were installing Chrome cannot be determined from public data.

Meanwhile, Google complicates installations outside the Play Store

On August 18, Google announced the launch of a so-called advanced installation procedure, which will require developer mode, a phone restart, and a 24-hour waiting period for installing apps from unverified developers outside the Play Store. The company justifies the restrictions by stating that significantly more malicious apps lurk outside the official store. The game Ball Bounce, however, appeared in the store only four days later and remained there under the name Google Chrome for approximately two weeks.

The app disappeared from the Play Store on Wednesday, shortly after the server PiunikaWeb wrote about it. Android Authority asked Google for a comment, but the company has not yet commented on the case. The question thus remains how the counterfeit bypassed both app and ad review.

How to recognize genuine Google Chrome?

On the vast majority of Android phones, Chrome is pre-installed, so you usually don’t need to download it at all. When you search for it in the Play Store, for the genuine app, you’ll likely see “Open” or “Update” instead of an “Install” button. Below the name, it should state the developer name Google LLC and show over 10 billion downloads. It’s advisable to completely avoid results marked as ads when searching for well-known applications.

If you suspect that you or someone in your family has installed a fake app, open the app list in settings and look for a second Chrome, or the game Ball Bounce. It can also be indicative that genuine Chrome cannot be uninstalled on most phones; you can usually only disable it. Its “clone,” on the other hand, can be deleted in the usual way.

Have you ever encountered an app in the Play Store that impersonated another?

Sources: Reddit, PiunikaWeb, Android Authority