Google Play
The issue came to light on October 14 after a Reddit user posted a screenshot showing two nearly identical Chrome apps appearing side-by-side in Google Play search results.
A fake version of the Google Chrome browser appeared on the official Google Play Store , displaying over 1 lakh (100,000) downloads and securing a paid “sponsored” placement directly above Google’s genuine browser. “Key verification checks” are the key to prevent malicious downloads on Android: Check the publisher directly underneath the app title to ensure it matches the official creator or parent company. The deceptive listing copied Chrome’s official branding, app icon, promotional screenshots and store description, but listed an entirely unrelated entity as its creator. Following widespread user complaints online, Google moved quickly to take down the fake listing. The top result – promoted via a paid sponsored slot – featured the official Chrome name and logo, but displayed Hizbartech as the publisher. The legitimate Google Chrome app, published by Google LLC, appeared underneath the imposter ad. The clearest indicator that the app was a fake was the developer profile. Google’s official browser is published by Google LLC, not third-party accounts like Hizbartech.