Sophos, a cybersecurity solutions company, has revealed a set of applications that disguise themselves as ChatGPT chatbots to lure users and extract thousands of dollars from them monthly.
According to the recent detailed report by Sophos X-Ops titled “FleeceGPT Apps,” this malicious program targets users of artificial intelligence and chatbot applications to generate profits.
Many of these bots have appeared in Google Play and App Store, with the free versions of these apps offering no mentioned functionality but continuously displaying ads to coerce users into subscribing to apps or services costing them hundreds of dollars annually.
Sean Gallagher, a senior researcher for threats at Sophos, stated: “Currently, there is a peak in interest in artificial intelligence and chat applications, leading users to app stores to download any app resembling ChatGPT, possibly forcing them to download fraudulent apps inundating their devices with annoying ads until they subscribe to a service.”
He further added: “These apps rely on the possibility that users may overlook the cost or forget they have a subscription, specifically designed to provide no tangible benefit after the free trial period expires. When users delete the app, they are unaware that they are still tied to monthly or weekly payments.”
