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The Google Play Store accessed from an Android phone is mostly OK. However, sometimes scams and malware slips through the checks and tests that are applied to apps. You have to be careful not to be tricked by these scams and to keep your wits about you when looking for apps, installing them and using them.
Here is an example, which is not quite a scam, but is something you definitely want to avoid and should watch out for.
I have been looking at camera apps for my Android phone. Apps that provide extra features, more control over things like ISO, shutter speed, aperture, and other things.
I came across Footej Camera – PRO HD Camera by ZippoApps. It has a rating of 4.4 from 106k reviews and 10M+ downloads. It looks good, so I downloaded it to my phone. When I opened it, it displayed this screen.
Nothing wrong with that, right? Lots of apps want you to subscribe to them and they offer a free trial period so you can see if you like it. However, look a bit closer at the subscription details.
Wow! £14.99 a week! For a camera app! That will cost £779.48 a year or if I convert it to US dollars, it is over $1,000 a year!
Surely no-one would willingly pay over £779 or $1,000 a year for a camera app on their phone when alternatives are just a few pounds or dollars. I think this is a crazy price and I wonder if the developer is hoping people start the free trial without noticing the payment details. Until they notice that hundreds of pounds/dollars have disappeared from their bank account.
I installed two alternative camera apps offering similar features. One was £2.39 a year and the other was a one-off fee of £3.79, which is less than $5 to use it forever. I paid the fee, and saved £770 a year subscription.
I did not try the limited version because the app immediately lost my trust by charging so much. It has been uninstalled.
Be careful what you install and check the small print when signing up for subscriptions or free trials.
