Two apps available on Google Play simulated fake clicks on Facebook ads to make money: stopped and reported the developers.

Facebook has announced that it has discovered two scam app that simulated the existence of new active users in order to carry out fake clicks on social network advertising. The group therefore acted legally, bringing the activities of the two apps to a halt.

False clicks for profit

The developers of the scam are the developers LionMobi (Hong Kong) and JediMobi (Singapore): the apps, available on Google Play, acted on the smartphones on which they were installed, managing to exploit the Facebook accounts of the victims as real zombie accounts, for then use them for fraud purposes. The apps simulated clicks on network advertisements without the users’ knowledge, thus generating phantom traffic and activities that the user was completely unaware of.

LionMobil used Facebook ads to promote its apps, a perfect link between the exploitation of the network’s potential and its abuse for personal purposes. Although the exact mechanism of monetization is not clear, Facebook explicitly lets it be known that everything was set up for profit, evidently violating the social network and Audience Network policies.

According to a press release, Facebook has already reimbursed scammed advertisers.