Flash Installer, OperaMini5, Rolando, and XCode are scam apps

rwhitby · 05:56 PM

Beware of three scam apps in the Palm Beta and Web feeds. Rolando, XCode and OperaMini5 are non-functional and contain no code or binaries.

There are reports of an Adobe Flash 10.1 Installer which also looks fake.

-- Rod

polasek · 08/01/2010, 02:40 AM

so they just sit there?

rwhitby · 08/01/2010, 04:53 AM

They have no code, so they do nothing.

-- Rod

bullonparade85 · 08/01/2010, 05:01 AM

why would anyone do this? Kinda weird.

rwhitby · 08/01/2010, 05:17 AM

Attention is the most probable reason.

I don't know whether developers get any personal information about purchasers, but if so, that would be the next likely explanation.

A genuine mistake would have been most likely if it was one app, but this is three virtually identical apps (code wise) released with bogus screenshots and descriptions, so that's unlikely in this case.

Another explanation might be someone trying to reserve some application names for future use - I would hope that Palm is able to stop such name-squatting.

The links in the application description could be to malicious web pages, but that does not seem to be the case here.

Just simple attention is the most likely cause - imagine if PreCentral was to be fooled and ran a front page storey about Opera Mini on the Pre and then Engadget picked up the storey without checking ...

-- Rod

gapost · 08/01/2010, 06:24 AM

Ok, thanks Rod. I got kind of excited when I saw Opera Mini show up. ha-ha.

rwhitby · 08/01/2010, 07:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Workerb33

lets hope PC doesn't do a front page on how palm had something like this hit tbe catalog and hurt palm credibility when much worse has happened to android and iphone app stores...

Since the apps do absolutely nothing (either good or bad), there would be no reason for a front-page article.

-- Rod

blaircraigon · 08/01/2010, 09:41 AM

looks like there are more, I saw an app called " Android", but the description is "operamu" again??? Very bizarre.

TreoRock · 08/01/2010, 09:52 AM

There needs to be some control for sure. I hope Palm takes those down on Monday.

imop45 · 08/01/2010, 11:25 AM

The operamu uses location information.

kkhanmd · 08/01/2010, 11:38 AM

I hope palm is proactive like apple and takes them down. Anyway if we are getting spam apps, must mean palm webOS is making some, maybe little, but some waves.

Hz-R · 08/01/2010, 04:42 PM

Now they even posted a Flash 10.1 installer! Beware!

squeezy · 08/01/2010, 04:43 PM

So that is fake?

http://www.precentral.net/app-galler...-101-installer

I was just about to post asking about this.

Workerb33 · 08/01/2010, 04:44 PM

is palm even paying attention?

craigc · 04:54 PM

Am I going mad or is there a 10.1 installer on the palm beta feed?

Update...
Trying to click install gets a this is not a valid webos application on a uk 02 pre.

squeezy · 08/01/2010, 04:57 PM

I hear it is fake in here

http://forums.precentral.net/webos-a...scam-apps.html

The link I provided in that thread you cannot download either. I'm not going to try, it cannot be legit based on the size alone.

craigc · 08/01/2010, 04:58 PM

Thanks thought it was too good to be true, about 10 months and counting so far....

jfrigger · 08/01/2010, 04:59 PM

it doesn't appear in the beta-feed on my german palm pre. do you have a screenshot? sounds very interesting...

edit: ok just saw the other posts. thanks!

juavez707 · 08/01/2010, 05:03 PM

why would they have it on precentral if it was fake?

kel101 · 08/01/2010, 05:04 PM

clearly fake look at the maintainer

Precenter

08/01/2010, 01:51 AM	#1 (permalink)
rwhitby Developer Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Adelaide, Australia - follow @webosinternals on Twitter visit www.webos-internals.org and www.facebook.com/webosinternals Posts: 10,220 Likes Received: 546 Thanks: 90 Thanked 8,534 Times in 2,806 Posts	Flash Installer, OperaMini5, Rolando, and XCode are scam apps Beware of three scam apps in the Palm Beta and Web feeds. Rolando, XCode and OperaMini5 are non-functional and contain no code or binaries. There are reports of an Adobe Flash 10.1 Installer which also looks fake. -- Rod __________________ WebOS Internals and Preware Founder and Developer You may wish to donate by Paypal to donations @ webos-internals.org if you find our work useful. All donations go back into development. www.webos-internals.org twitter.com/webosinternals facebook.com/webosinternals Last edited by rwhitby; 08/01/2010 at 05:56 PM.
	Liked by Thanked by becrazy2, bpdamas, Butters3605, chowd, Dieter Bohn, Georgo10, Hz-R, imop45, kkhanmd, maxima2k53, mjkjr, Myprelove, not-yet-pre, pip smith, Queueyou, T3CK, VasTheGreek, wayne@angrygoat, windzilla

08/01/2010, 02:40 AM	#2 (permalink)
polasek Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Posts: 6 Likes Received: 0 Thanks: 1 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	so they just sit there?
	Liked by

08/01/2010, 04:53 AM	#3 (permalink)
rwhitby Developer Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Adelaide, Australia - follow @webosinternals on Twitter visit www.webos-internals.org and www.facebook.com/webosinternals Posts: 10,220 Likes Received: 546 Thanks: 90 Thanked 8,534 Times in 2,806 Posts	They have no code, so they do nothing. -- Rod
	Liked by

08/01/2010, 05:01 AM	#4 (permalink)
bullonparade85 Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 400 Likes Received: 6 Thanks: 9 Thanked 37 Times in 30 Posts	why would anyone do this? Kinda weird.
	Liked by

08/01/2010, 05:17 AM	#5 (permalink)
rwhitby Developer Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Adelaide, Australia - follow @webosinternals on Twitter visit www.webos-internals.org and www.facebook.com/webosinternals Posts: 10,220 Likes Received: 546 Thanks: 90 Thanked 8,534 Times in 2,806 Posts	Attention is the most probable reason. I don't know whether developers get any personal information about purchasers, but if so, that would be the next likely explanation. A genuine mistake would have been most likely if it was one app, but this is three virtually identical apps (code wise) released with bogus screenshots and descriptions, so that's unlikely in this case. Another explanation might be someone trying to reserve some application names for future use - I would hope that Palm is able to stop such name-squatting. The links in the application description could be to malicious web pages, but that does not seem to be the case here. Just simple attention is the most likely cause - imagine if PreCentral was to be fooled and ran a front page storey about Opera Mini on the Pre and then Engadget picked up the storey without checking ... -- Rod
	Liked by

08/01/2010, 06:24 AM	#6 (permalink)
gapost Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Brunswick, GA Posts: 2,082 Likes Received: 6 Thanks: 28 Thanked 90 Times in 77 Posts	Ok, thanks Rod. I got kind of excited when I saw Opera Mini show up. ha-ha.
	Liked by

08/01/2010, 09:41 AM	#8 (permalink)
blaircraigon Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Mississauga, Ontario, CANADA Posts: 100 Likes Received: 3 Thanks: 105 Thanked 35 Times in 27 Posts	looks like there are more, I saw an app called " Android", but the description is "operamu" again??? Very bizarre. __________________ Hmmm?.....It's a Palm Pre, here, let me show you something cool...;-)
	Liked by

08/01/2010, 09:52 AM	#9 (permalink)
TreoRock Member Join Date: Mar 2000 Location: CA Posts: 3,099 Likes Received: 26 Thanks: 350 Thanked 125 Times in 80 Posts	There needs to be some control for sure. I hope Palm takes those down on Monday. __________________
	Liked by

08/01/2010, 11:38 AM	#11 (permalink)
kkhanmd Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 2,069 Likes Received: 81 Thanks: 280 Thanked 245 Times in 187 Posts	I hope palm is proactive like apple and takes them down. Anyway if we are getting spam apps, must mean palm webOS is making some, maybe little, but some waves. __________________ If this helped you hit thanks.
	Liked by

08/01/2010, 04:42 PM	#12 (permalink)
Hz-R Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Hampshire, UK Posts: 245 Likes Received: 0 Thanks: 38 Thanked 21 Times in 16 Posts	Now they even posted a Flash 10.1 installer! Beware! __________________ < M105 - M130 - M515 - T\|T3 - Clié UX50 - T\|x - Pré - Pré 2 - TouchPad 16GB> [url]
	Liked by

08/01/2010, 04:43 PM	#13 (permalink)
squeezy Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Athens Georgia Posts: 398 Likes Received: 1 Thanks: 90 Thanked 103 Times in 59 Posts	So that is fake? http://www.precentral.net/app-galler...-101-installer I was just about to post asking about this.
	Liked by

08/01/2010, 04:44 PM	#14 (permalink)
Workerb33 Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Posts: 2,216 Likes Received: 2 Thanks: 454 Thanked 871 Times in 699 Posts	is palm even paying attention?
	Liked by

08/01/2010, 04:54 PM	#15 (permalink)
craigc Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 30 Likes Received: 0 Thanks: 3 Thanked 4 Times in 4 Posts	Flash 10.1 Beta Feed (Fake?) Am I going mad or is there a 10.1 installer on the palm beta feed? Update... Trying to click install gets a this is not a valid webos application on a uk 02 pre. Last edited by craigc; 08/01/2010 at 04:54 PM. Reason: update
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08/01/2010, 04:57 PM	#16 (permalink)
squeezy Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Athens Georgia Posts: 398 Likes Received: 1 Thanks: 90 Thanked 103 Times in 59 Posts	I hear it is fake in here http://forums.precentral.net/webos-a...scam-apps.html The link I provided in that thread you cannot download either. I'm not going to try, it cannot be legit based on the size alone.
	Liked by Thanked By: craigc

08/01/2010, 04:58 PM	#17 (permalink)
craigc Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 30 Likes Received: 0 Thanks: 3 Thanked 4 Times in 4 Posts	Thanks thought it was too good to be true, about 10 months and counting so far....
	Liked by

08/01/2010, 04:59 PM	#18 (permalink)
jfrigger Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Germany Posts: 24 Likes Received: 0 Thanks: 1 Thanked 4 Times in 4 Posts	it doesn't appear in the beta-feed on my german palm pre. do you have a screenshot? sounds very interesting... edit: ok just saw the other posts. thanks! __________________
	Liked by Thanked By: beantastic

08/01/2010, 05:03 PM	#19 (permalink)
juavez707 Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: 707 Cali Posts: 184 Likes Received: 0 Thanks: 20 Thanked 9 Times in 8 Posts	why would they have it on precentral if it was fake?
	Liked by

08/01/2010, 05:04 PM	#20 (permalink)
kel101 Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Manchester, England Posts: 1,226 Likes Received: 8 Thanks: 50 Thanked 56 Times in 49 Posts	clearly fake look at the maintainer Precenter
	Liked by

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