FBI Warns of New 'Ghost' Shopping App Scam Draining Bank Accounts Instantly
- The FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) has issued a public alert about fraudulent shopping apps appearing as legitimate retailers in official app stores, designed to steal credit card details and login credentials in real-time during transactions.
- These 'ghost' apps often mimic major brands like Target, Walmart, or Nike, using fake reviews and stolen logos to trick users into making purchases that never arrive—while silently cloning the victim's banking info.
- The scam is spreading rapidly through targeted social media ads and phishing emails directing consumers to download the malicious software, with the FBI noting a 500% increase in related complaints over the last quarter.
- Once installed, the app can bypass standard two-factor authentication by capturing both the card number and the timestamp of the transaction, allowing scammers to drain accounts within hours.
- To protect yourself, the FBI advises installing updated antivirus software, verifying every app's developer history before downloading, and never saving payment details within third-party shopping platforms—even from official app stores.