Beware: Fake version of WhatsApp found on Google Play Store

Named "Update WhatsApp Messenger", the app copies the colour theme and overall look and feel of the original app

A fake and possibly malicious version of WhatsApp app has been spotted on Google Play. The app, named "Update WhatsApp Messenger" with developer name as "WhatsApp Inc*', mimics the colour theme and overall look and feel of the original app.

When IANS checked it on the Play Store, it found the app has been downloaded up to 5,000 times. There is another version under the same name which has a million downloads. The original WhatsApp has 1 billion downloads.

The existence of the shady software was first highlighted by the popular WhatsApp change tracking website WABetaInfo, via Twitter user @MujtabaMHaq, IB Times reported late on Thursday.

According to the report, a version of popular mobile game Temple Run 2 can also be found which was uploaded in October. The software posing as WhatsApp Business already have several users complaining about it in comments section.