Cyber fraudsters are increasingly turning to the use of new-age technology - artificial intelligence (AI) - to scale up attacks, in a shift that has seen users fall prey to fake application reviews that have flooded mobile and smart television app stores, a new report shows.
The report, published by digital media analytics firm DoubleVerify, reveals that scammers are deploying AI to create fake reviews in the app stores, including allotting five-star ratings to specific targeted apps to artificially inflate their credibility, leading people to download potentially harmful or deceptive content.
“DoubeVerify’s Fraud Lab has seen a significant increase in apps with AI-powered fake reviews in 2024, identifying over three times the number compared to the same period in 2023,” notes the firm.
Reviews showed that users who download these apps often find themselves bombarded with an overwhelming number of out-of-context adverts, akin to websites created solely to display ads.
This approach, DoubleVerify notes, disrupts the user experience and diminishes the app’s long-term viability as frustrated users eventually uninstall the deceptive apps.
“The dangers of fake app reviews extend beyond mere annoyance. Some fraudulent apps can hijack devices, running ads incessantly even when devices appear to be off.
“This can lead to severe issues like battery drain, device overheating, and excessive data usage, incurring significant costs for the user,” the report said.
“These apps can also be notoriously difficult to remove, with some even causing the device to malfunction or shut down unexpectedly.”
The fake reviews have also been found to trick advertisers into placing their marketing campaigns on seemingly popular apps, which will have a dramatic impact on ad managers, especially in the streaming space where the cost per thousand impressions often ranges from $35 (Sh4,500) to $65 (Sh8,400).
DoubleVerify research indicates that bot-based app fraud is costing unsuspecting advertisers millions of dollars a year, with the new onslaught of AI-generated fake reviews poised to aggravate the losses.
Specific apps flagged for having a significant number of AI-generated reviews include a Fire TV app called ‘Wotcho TV’, another named ‘My AI Chatbot’, as well as ‘Brain E-Books’ on the Google Play Store.
DoubleVerify also found that malicious apps that host audio content rely heavily on AI-generated ratings.
In this case, advertisers pay a premium for audio ads, and the scheme hinges on making the app appear legitimate to both users and advertisers.
Once downloaded, these apps install malware that simulates audio playback or plays audio in the background of a user’s device without their knowledge, making it possible for the app’s creator to fraudulently charge advertisers for fake listens.
To identify fake reviews, the report says users should look for several key indicators, including uniform syntax and style across supposedly different users, unusual formatting such as capitalising the first letter of each word, and consistent five-star ratings even for critical comments such as ‘not quite there yet’.
The firm further cautions users to be wary of situations where every rating is accompanied by a written review despite this being not a requirement, as well as reviewers who are only active in that specific ecosystem.
“AI-generated app reviews occur across all types of app stores, from mobile to streaming services. Our analysis of a streaming app on a popular smart TV platform, for example, revealed that 50 percent of its reviews were fake.
“This conclusion was reached using a combination of proprietary technology and human analysis to identify manipulation signals,” the report states.
To stay protected from app fraud, DoubleVerify advises that all stakeholders must take sophisticated measures to combat the negative impact of AI-generated content in app stores.
This, it says, includes developing more advanced verification processes and maintaining a keen awareness of fraudsters’ evolving tactics.
“Only through continued innovation and strict oversight can we ensure that the benefits of AI in content creation outweigh its potential for misuse.”
