It is essential to be aware of scammy ChatGPT apps around the internet and how to recognize them. Open AI recently released the official ChatGPT app for iPhones which is completely free, except for an optional subscription to ChatGPT+ for $20 per month. However, there is a wide range of bogus apps that are designed to con you out of your money – these are known as “fleecewear”. Some of these apps may offer a free trial period or promise things that other apps already do for free, but can ultimately end up charging you for a whole year’s subscription.
To ensure you stay safe and avoid any scammy AI apps, cybersecurity company Sophos have been prowling through the App Store and Google Play Store and identified six lookalike ChatGPT apps. One of these, Genie AI Chatbot, initially lets you use their service for free but will start charging you for up to $70 per year after four searches. This company alone has made over $700,000 from iPhone users in the last month.
It is also important to quickly double-check if you have any app subscription fees that you may not be aware of. It is advised to always be wary of ChatGPT apps that you find online and avoid downloading any that look suspicious. It is also important to note that the ChatGPT app is only available for iPhones at the moment, while the Android app is said to be coming soon.