Beware of counterfeit shopping apps this holiday season

By Jesse Granger

Monday, Nov. 21, 2016 | 10:04 a.m.

With Black Friday and the holiday shopping season quickly approaching, state Attorney General Adam Laxalt is warning Nevadans about counterfeit retail apps.

Now more than ever, consumers are dodging long lines and stampedes of bargain-hungry shoppers at the stores and instead shopping online with their computers and smart phones.

In a statement released this morning, Laxalt said Apple’s App Store and Google Play have experienced a recent surge in counterfeit retail apps that impersonate well-known retailers such as Zappos, Dillard’s, Nordstrom, Foot Locker, Dollar Tree, Payless ShoeSource and others.

“Now that many credit cards have computer chips, fraudsters looking to collect personal or financial information are going to get the data any way they can, including creating counterfeit apps for smartphones,” Laxalt said. “I advise every Nevadan looking to make purchases during this busy holiday season to take extra care and to minimize their risk of being scammed.”

There are even fraudulent apps that can install malware onto a phone, lock it and demand money from the owner to unlock it, Laxalt said.

The Attorney General's Office suggests consumers take the following steps to avoid falling victim this holiday season:

• Check the retailer’s website for direct links to its own app. Never click on an email link to download a new app.

• Look for reviews of the app. If the app has no reviews, it was likely created recently and could be fraudulent.

• Be suspicious of apps with misspelled words in their description. Fake apps are often created quickly and may contain grammatical errors.

• Try to avoid linking your credit card to an app.

• Monitor your credit card statements more frequently during the holidays.