A rip-off cryptocurrency app on Apple’s app distribution service App Retailer has reportedly stolen $600,000 Bitcoin (BTC) from one iOS person.
Cryptocurrency holder Phillipe Christodoulou fell sufferer to a rip-off app on the App Retailer, shedding almost all his life financial savings to a faux crypto pockets software, The Washington Put up experiences Tuesday.
Christodoulou went on the App Retailer final month to seek for a cellular Trezor app to verify his Bitcoin stability through telephone. Unaware that Trezor doesn’t presently present an iOS app, Christodoulou downloaded a doppelgänger Trezor software that boasted shut to 5 stars, giving the impression that it was certainly an official app. After coming into his seed phrase, Christodoulou mentioned that his financial savings of 17.1 BTC had been stolen.
Christodoulou mentioned that Apple, which collects 15% to 30% commissions on gross sales, must be held liable for this case. “They betrayed the belief that I had in them. Apple doesn’t should get away with this,” he acknowledged. In keeping with the Washington Put up, Christodoulou filed a report with the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Following notification from Trezor, Apple eliminated the faux Trezor app a number of instances, however it saved showing on the App Retailer days later.
The crypto neighborhood issomewhat divided on whether or not Apple must be blamed for the accident. “It is a f*cking nightmare. Scammed by a faux Trezor app within the ‘curated and protected’ Apple App Retailer,” crypto investor Scott Melker mentioned on Twitter. Jameson Lopp, co-founder of crypto custody platform Casa mentioned, “Cease coming into seed phrases into software program. Solely enter seeds into devoted Bitcoin {hardware} units.”
Pretend cryptocurrency pockets and buying and selling apps have appeared on the App Retailer earlier than. United Kingdom-based crypto intelligence firm Coinfirm mentioned that 5 folks have reported having their crypto stolen by a faux Trezor app on iOS, with whole losses estimated at $1.6 million.
Trezor has alsowarned customers about fraudulent doppelgänger apps on the Google Play Retailer.
Apple and Trezor didn’t instantly reply to Cointelegraph’s request for remark.