Scams have existed since time immemorial but the fact of carrying a computer in your pocket has made digital ones the predominant one right now. Taking advantage of the lack of attention or the limited knowledge of users is the bargaining chip in a fraudulent market that does not seem to have an end, that of appropriating the money of others. Among the multiple forams of digital scam is a scam represented by fleeceware apps which we will see today.
When we refer to applications that are fleeceware, we are talking about a type of development that offers a free trial period to enjoy the application but, before allowing us to access, they force us to contract a subscription at exorbitant prices (with cases of more than 50 euros per week), far from the standards that are practiced within Apple and Google online stores.
The term comes from the mixture of fleece (pluck) and ware (referring to software). Its meaning, to translate it in some simpler way, would be that of ‘software to pluck you’ because its mission is to overcharge users for something that in principle is offered for free. It usually happens that these types of applications offer a series of functionalities under the guise of free software, until we download them and realize that part of them is free but the rest is paid.
So far we could think that everything is normal. A free app for a week that charges us a high amount of money on the eighth day, but we decide if it is acceptable or not. The problem comes when we realize that those same applications are practically clones of others that are already available in the App Store, or the Play Store, and that they do the same but without charging us.
That is to say, the creators of Fleeceware are fully aware that they are offering us something that is already in the store for free but, relying on the fact that it is practically impossible to know everything that is published daily in them, they make their fortune receiving income for a product that has no value. That is, even with our acceptance, they are actually ripping us off.
The apps that usually use these systems are usually quite simple. We are talking about apps that are QR code readers, calculator apps, flashlights or even to edit photos or create animated GIFs. Many phones have these apps already integrated into the system and there are also free alternatives (really free) available, so take a good look at what you download.
Also check:
Rogue Software – Fake Security Programs
Smishing , Beware of fake SMS
