Beware of Fake ChatGPT Apps That Spy on Users and Steal Sensitive Data

Security researchers warn that mobile stores are flooded with lookalike ChatGPT, DALL·E and other AI apps that can be harmless wrappers, adware monetisers or spyware capable of full device surveillance and credential theft.

The analysis highlights a three-tier threat landscape: unofficial wrappers that connect to real APIs, brand impersonators that monetise via advertising, and fully weaponised malware frameworks that enable extensive surveillance and data theft such as the WhatsApp Plus variant with obfuscated code and extensive device permissions. The report notes brand impersonation is a growing attack vector targeting consumers and enterprises relying on mobile AI apps.

According to SensorTower’s 2025 State of Mobile Report, AI-related mobile applications collectively generated 17 billion downloads in 2024, representing approximately 13 percent of all global app downloads. The findings underscore the need for continuous monitoring, automated vulnerability assessments, and unified security platforms to detect cloned apps across stores and respond rapidly, as post-launch threats evolve beyond basic imitation. The piece was published on 31 October 2025 by Mayura Kathir.