PSA: Better stay away from apps like these that blindly rip you off

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You could wear fleece, but whatever you do, avoid fleece items. These are apps that entice you into offering a free trial (usually for three days) and when it comes time to cancel the trial, the user does not. This leaves the user struggling with subscriptions that can run into the thousands of dollars per year. According to Avast researchers, they discovered a total of 204 Fleeceware applications in the two Apple App Store and the Google Play Store with a total number of over one billion downloads. These apps have generated revenues of over $ 400 million. It is money that has been scammed out of users’ pockets.

Don’t get ripped off by ridiculously priced apps charging you extremely high weekly subscription fees

Apps discovered to be Fleeceware included musical instrument apps, image editors, camera filters, mind readers, fortune tellers, QR Code readers, slime simulators, and palm readers. Most apps deliver the goods, but they do it at a price that no normal person would pay. In the App Store and the Google Play Store, there are apps that do the same things as the fleece but for a much lower price or even for free. Adults aren’t the only ones to be fooled as Fleeceware is marketed to children who may not be able to see through the gadget and are captivated by phrases like “free download”. By the time parents notice they are getting billed money for something they don’t remember buying, enough money has changed hands to make the program profitable for malicious developers.

These apps don’t offer anything unique and have basically been listed in the iOS or Android app storefront for the express purpose of scamming consumers into offering nothing spectacular and a really, really overpriced subscription price. Avast has returned the names of the Fleeceware apps it discovered to Google and Apple so the pair can look into the situation.

One of the issues consumers face is that they are not seen as malicious apps, which gives the developer the ability to promote them on normal channels. Sensor Tower’s Ad Intelligence notes that these apps are actively advertised on popular social networks such as Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok.

Keep in mind that removing the app does not negate the user’s obligation to continue paying the monthly subscription fee. The subscription itself needs to be canceled and things being what they are, many will eventually forget they need to and that’s exactly what the developers are counting on. Avast has found apps charging up to $ 66 per week or $ 3,432 in a 52-week year. Most charged $ 4 to $ 12 per week, which works out to a range of $ 208 to $ 624 per year.

How can you protect yourself from fleece? The easiest and fastest way is to do something that we’ve been suggesting for years when it comes to malicious apps. Read comments and reviews posted by others. They are a red flag, especially now that a new version of fleeceware involves developers who might have sold you an app for a one-time price but suddenly changed the app to an app using a weekly subscription model. Those who refuse to accept the new terms cannot use the app even if it has already been paid in full. Avast says this could start to happen more and more because of the monetary rewards developers could collect.

Google has a notification that notifies users when they have an active subscription for an unwanted app, and Apple sends a message asking the user if they still want to keep the subscription. But to avoid getting stuck in these situations in the first place, take a very careful look at apps offering free trials that last less than a week. Calculate exactly how much you will pay for the app on a yearly basis. Take the tour to see what similar apps are used for. And tell your whole family about the fleece.

Despite all the warnings, you could still find yourself caught in the polar fleeces. To cancel a subscription on iOS, go to Settings and tap your name. Tap next on the subscriptions and then the app you want to cancel. Tap Cancel Subscription to escape this weekly payment. On Android, go to the Google Play Store and make sure the correct account is open. Tap the menu of three doubled burgers and tap subscriptions. Select the one you want to cancel and follow the instructions.

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