Experts warn against ChatGPT apps for Android and iPhone

The iPhone and Android devices are plagued by rogue ChatGPT apps. We tell you why this is so dangerous and you should not use it.

ChatGPT is one of the best services you can have on your smartphone. You ask questions or give a command for a text that the program then executes. Nevertheless, you now have to be careful on your iPhone or Android device.

ChatGPT on iPhone or Android

So it makes sense that many people want the service on their phones. Unfortunately, parent company OpenAI has not yet developed a dedicated app for iPhone or Android. There are third parties that offer ChatGPT functions in app form, but they are not always that good.

ChatGPT is currently completely free to use. You can even build your own ChatGPT app very easily at no cost to you.

Still, we can understand that it might be easier if all the work is done for you. That’s why several ChatGPT apps are popular. Just enter the name in the App Store or Google Play Store and you will get a lot of options for Android and iPhone.

However, it does not mean that they are all equally good. Security experts from internet security company Sophos are sounding the alarm at Ghacks. For example, some makers abuse it by selling sneaky in-app subscriptions.

Scam

Such apps are called fleeceware. They pretend to be the real providers of a service like ChatGPT and offer tempting free trial offers, but barely work in practice. However, if you do not cancel it on time, you will have to pay a lot. These apps often have deceptive subscription fees.

Many people think that you cancel a subscription when you delete an app, but that is certainly not the case. You do this on your iPhone by going to the App Store and then clicking on your profile. It’s the same way on Android.

Often these apps use a fake name by misspelling the original app. For example, consider Chat GBT instead of ChatGPT. These apps mainly lure people through advertisement.

Unlike malware, fleeceware does not exhibit overtly malicious behavior. The revenue model is the subscriptions instead of stealing data. Makers of these apps simply submit them to the App Store or Play Store, but omit the subscription prices and payment terms. This allows them to change the conditions later and increase subscriptions.

This is how you get ChatGPT on your iPhone or Android device

So if you want ChatGPT on your iPhone or Android device, you can easily create your own app, or go for a third-party app. Pay close attention to the reviews and keep a close eye on your subscriptions.