Scammers don’t lack imagination when it comes to collecting data or stealing money. This time, it is gamers who are being targeted with fake mobile games circulating on the Play Store and the App Store. We tell you everything about this new scam to protect you from it.
In the world of video games, if certain announcements generate keen interest and strong expectations, they can also attract malicious individuals, ready to exploit the enthusiasm to deceive players. Titles like Baldur’s Gate III (GOTY (Game of The Year) 2023) et GTA 6 (whose first trailer has accumulated hundreds of millions of views in a short time), true phenomena, have become prime targets for fake mobile games. These now abound in application stores such as the App Store for iPhone owners or the Play Store for Android. These scams don’t just fool players; they can also compromise their personal data and wallet.
Baldur’s Gate III: open door to scams
The critical and commercial success of Baldur’s Gate IIIdeveloped by the Larian studio, made it one of the essential games of 2023. However, no mobile version has been announced. This did not prevent scammers from publishing an application on the App Store called Baldur’s Gate 3 – Mobile Turuk.
This fake version used the visual elements of the original game, including official screenshots, modified to simulate a touch interface. The application, offered for free, however hid a great scam: to access the so-called full game, the user had to take out a subscription of $30 per month. Once the payment was made, the player obviously received nothing in return, except the unpleasant surprise of understanding that his personal data had been collected.
It must be said that it was easy to deceive people since the official games Baldur’s Gate et Baldur’s Gate II are both indeed available on the stores in paid version. Fortunately the scam Baldur’s Gate III has now been removed from sales platforms.
GTA 6: the gangsters of the mobile game
Another target of choice: GTA 6one of the most anticipated titles of the year. While Rockstar Games has only planned a release on PS5 and Xbox Series for fall 2025, some applications claim to already offer a mobile version. Among them, GTA 6 Mobile/Car Games 2024 was found on the App Store, but also another soberly titled: GTA 6 Mobile / Gangster Game. Behind this first name, which is transparent to say the least, hides a simple and razor-sharp parking slot simulator, without any link with the GTA franchise. As for the second, it is simply unplayable because it is full of ads.
Notwithstanding, it is still possible to easily access certain GTA games on mobile and in a completely reliable and legal way. Indeed, on Netflix, it is possible to download the first three 3D titles in the franchise: GTA III (2001), GTA : Vice City (2002) et GTA : San Andreas (2004). To do this, all you need to do is subscribe to Netflix and go to the “Mobile Games” category on the platform application.
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How to avoid pitfalls?
This trend is not new and is also observed on other platforms, such as the Nintendo Switch eShop for example. It would not be surprising to see these practices multiply in the future with other headlines. Fortunately, there are a few tips to protect yourself from danger:
- Check official sources: Check announcements from developers or publishers to check the availability of a game on mobile.
- Read user reviews: Player feedback can often point to scams.
- Avoid apps that are too good to be true: A free AAA game on mobile without an official announcement is most likely a scam. Although now the latest smartphones are powerful enough to compete with consoles, porting from one platform to another does not come without cost and many publishers are slow to take the plunge so that these phone games are all also quite rare.
- Ask for a refund if in doubt: purchases on the App Store or Play Store are easily refundable, especially in the event of a scam or fraud.
Source : VideoGamer
