Scammers are going after 'Baldur's Gate 3' gamers in the App Store

Scammers are continuing to bring scam apps to the App Store, with the latest discovery being a fake port for the popular game "Baldur's Gate 3."

The popularity of major game releases can often lead to gamers hoping for a mobile release of the title in the future. However, this also opens the door to bad actors taking advantage of the situation.

Baldur's Gate 3 is a massive AAA release, but Larian Studios has no plans to bring the role-playing blockbuster to mobile at all. However, Videogamer reports there's a scam app in the App Store that preys on the game's fans.

Titled Baldur's Gate 3 - Mobile Turuk, the scam app supposedly made by "Dmytro Turuk" appears in the App Store as a seemingly legitimate offering. It has a description saying players will be able to create characters or use a pre-made "Origin" character with "their own unique storyline and motivations."

To further sell the illusion it's genuine, the fake app uses official screenshots from the proper game, but with a fake mobile control user interface placed on top.

For players falling for the app, they end up downloading it for free, but are presented with a page demanding a subscription. Priced at a steep $29.99 for 30 days, it promises access to the full game, but really it doesn't have that capability.

Even worse, the terms of service state that it collects data about the user, including their IP address.

Grand Theft App Store

This isn't the only major title to be used in a way to dupe players into parting with their cash.

GTA 6 is a highly-anticipated game that is still in development with Rockstar Games. Cue a scam app titled GTA 6 Mobile/Car Games 2024 from "Zeynep Uslu."

Again, it offers glossy screenshots sourced from GTA V, complete with a mobile interface. However, the description refers to a game called "ParkMastery: Ultimate Challenge."

While the fake game's listing says it's a free download with no in-app purchases, it doesn't necessarily stop the developer from adding high-fee subscriptions to trick players again.

A continuing problem

While Apple does have its App Store Review process to try and protect the App Store from such apps, scam apps often slip through and become available to download.

Barring an odd decision at the companies behind the two major franchises, it is almost certain that the apps break rules in the App Store Review Guidelines.

Point 5.2.1 under "Intellectual Property" tells developers they cannot use third-party material such as trademarks, copyrighted works, or patented ideas without permission. They also can't include "misleading, false, or copycat representations, names, or metadata" in the app bundle or developer name.

These apps certainly aren't going to be up for long, now that Apple is being made aware of the mistake. But, it is a continuing problem that reappears regularly, in different forms.

For example, during an early phase of ChatGPT's rise in 2023, the Mac App Store was flooded with scam ChatGPT apps, using similar logos to OpenAI and ChatGPT as well as keywords and other iconography.

In 2024, it was discovered that Russian banks were working around sanctions by hiding their apps within another more legitimate one. In some cases, Western iPhone users and App Store reviewers would see a lending app while users in Russia saw the bank's app instead.

Naturally, Apple has made changes to its App Store Review Guidelines over the years to make things more secure and to restrict what is available to users, but it's a hard battle to win. With the sheer quantity of apps being reviewed by the company, it's almost guaranteed that some bad actors will get through the net.

AppleInsider recommends that gamers avoid installing suspect apps such as the above on their devices. If they paid for an item or subscription in a scam app, Apple has ways to request a refund.