Apple App Store Removes Fake Apps Claiming To Be Trezor, But Copying Apps Are Still Circulating

JAKARTA - A malicious app claiming to be Trezor, a hardware crypto wallet, has been removed from Apple's App Store, although a quick search reveals that there are still other mock apps still circulating.

On June 20, Mitra Manajemen di Crypto Lawyers, Rafael Yakobi, posted a security warning regarding Apple's App Store. Yakobi melaporkan bahwa hasil pertama dalam pencarian "Trezor" adalah aplikasi jahat yang direncana untuk mencuri mata uang kripto.

He warned Apple users that the fake "Trezor Wallet Suite" app would "ask for your seed phrase, allowing its operator to steal all of your cryptocurrencies."

"This application has been around for months, although the total number of victims is unknown, it could have reached hundreds or thousands," Yakobi said, quoted by Cointelegraph.

Cointelegraph is looking for an App Store version in the United States and doesn't find any malicious apps called Yakobi. Apple usually quickly removes suspicious apps or scams from its app stores once it gets a report.

However, the search for "Trezor Wallet Suite" produced another potentially malicious application called "MyTREZR Suite: One Edition." There are only two reviews for the app, both of which are warnings that the app is a scam that will steal cryptocurrencies, so it seems that Apple hasn't fully cleared the apps yet.

Apple insists that the app on their official App Store has gone through a verification and approval process for security purposes.

The safest way to download mobile apps for crypto wallets is through the manufacturer's official website. Although there is an application available to Trezor users on iOS, it is only a companion application with a limited function.

According to Apple news outlet 9to5mac.com, the world's largest tech company is not very friendly to crypto apps, which are only permitted with strict terms.

"While Apple says that the App Store 'is a place you can trust' and fight sideloading, the reality is that even Apple can't keep the App Store free from fraud," said 9to5mac.com.

The fake wallet app on Apple's App Store is nothing new. In 2021, a user reportedly lost 600,000 US dollars (Rp9 billion) in Bitcoin after downloading the malicious Trezor app from the App Store.