Security News > 2022 > August > Bloke robbed of $800,000 in cryptocurrency by fake wallet app wants payback from Google

Last October, California resident Jacob Pearlman downloaded an Android version of a cryptocurrency wallet app called Phantom from the Google Play app store.

The free Phantom Wallet app that Pearlman downloaded early from Google Play was a fake.

"Less than 24 hours after downloading the fake 'Phantom Wallet' app from Google Play, Pearlman's real Phantom wallet was drained of more than $800,000 worth of virtual currencies, including SAMO, USDC, ORCA, and SOL, as well as four additional NFTs," his attorneys recount in a lawsuit that seeks to recover the stolen funds from Google rather than from the bogus app's operator.

Google appears to have been unable to keep cryptocurrency-stealing fake apps out of Google Play.

"Despite Phantom's efforts to keep fake Android apps off the Google Play store, and notwithstanding Google's obvious notice that it was offering fraudulent 'Phantom Wallet' apps for download, days later, on October 21, 2021, Pearlman was able to, and did, download one," Pearlman's complaint stated.

The court filing argues that by offering apps through Google Play, the Chocolate Factory represents that those apps are safe and warrants through its Terms of Service it oversees its services with reasonable care.

News URL

https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2022/08/04/google_wallet_crypto_lawsuit/