By Tushar Subhra Dutta
Publication Date: 2026-10-15 06:03:00
A fake Google Chrome app appeared on Google Play with a screenshot showing more than 100,000 downloads, raising fresh concerns about app checks and paid search results.
The listing copied Chrome’s name, icon, and description, but its developer was Hizbartech rather than Google LLC. The app reportedly appeared above the real browser as a sponsored result.
However, the download badge does not prove that 100,000 people installed it while it carried Chrome’s branding. Available reports also do not establish password theft, a banking Trojan, or a confirmed malware payload.
Researchers at PiunikaWeb noted the deceptive app after a user on Reddit’s r/browsers community flagged it. Their October 14 report described an adware listing and said a search for the developer’s name still found it, although they could not reproduce the sponsored Chrome search result themselves.
Fake Chrome App on Google Play
PiunikaWeb traced the app to a game called Ball Bounce, which…
