Apple has enabled the Touch ID to use in App Store for those that want to purchase apps using their debit or credit card linked to their Apple ID. The company promised a tighter security when it released the iOS 12 to the public, but it appears that there were two highly rated apps in the App Store that scam users as soon as they use their Touch IDs to relatively check their health and wellness.
According to a report from Ars Technica, Reddit users wrote that the apps "Fitness Balance" app and "Calories Tracker" app assured them to calculate their "body mass index, monitor calorie intake, and provide other health-related services." When installed and opened, the apps asked users to scan their fingerprints to check their calorie tracker or get a personal service.
But as soon as they use their Touch IDs, a window pops up and tells users that they have been charged, and then it disappears almost immediately. Users reported that they were charged around $99.99 or $119, depending on the user's location.
"So what it does is ask you to keep your finger at the fingerprint, and then the popup for paying for the app shows up," a Redditor named kristikoroveshi94 wrote. "Since you have already your finger there, the payment continues. And damn what a price this shitty app has. Luckily I don't have a linked card or paying account."
Apparently, even the most trusted software like the iOS is also susceptible and vulnerable to scams despite Apple's hard work in delivering a secure service to its consumers. The apps though have been removed by the tech giant from the App Store after they were reported by the victims of the scam, and users were promised to receive a refund within 30 days.
The apps received incredible reviews from persons that users suspected to be the same people behind the scam. In fact, the Fitness Balance app got 4.3 stars average ratings in the App Store, but that too is obviously a scam.
With the recent fraudulent activities, users are advised to be more careful in installing apps from the App Store, especially if they have their debit card or credit card linked to their Apple IDs. Lukas Stefanko, a researcher with antivirus provider Eset, advised that there is a more secure way for the iPhone X users to avoid from getting scammed by utilizing the feature "Double Click to Pay" to verify a payment.
