The unified Google Play app store has leaked a fake version of the Google Chrome browser. Thanks to paid advertising in search, the fake app was displayed even higher than the original Chrome and managed to collect over 100,000 downloads.
The unified Google Play app store has leaked a fake version of the Google Chrome browser. Thanks to paid advertising in search, the fake app was displayed even higher than the original Chrome and managed to collect over 100,000 downloads.
This incident could be a serious reputational blow to Google, which in recent months has been actively restricting the ability to install programs from third-party sources, convincing users of the complete safety of the official store.
The specialized publication PiunikaWeb was the first to report the fake, publishing a screenshot where the fake Chrome is in the very first position in the Google Play search results under the "Advertisement" (Sponsored) label.
The fake completely copied the name, icon, and description of the original browser. Instead of the developer Google LLC, the publisher was listed as an unknown company Hizbartech.
The app first appeared in August as a simple game called Ball Bounce, but on September 30, the developers redesigned it for Chrome. However, the Android package identifier remained the same: com.ballbounce.Hizbartech.
In total, the program has collected over 100,000 downloads. It is currently unknown how many of these were downloaded before and after the browser disguise.
Reddit users who investigated the app's contents reported that instead of a functional browser, it contained a messenger interface with AI-generated avatars and pre-programmed responses.
According to researchers, the developers' goal was not to collect personal data or spread viruses, but to simply make money from advertising, writes The Cybernews.
"I did some research: there are no viruses there. The guys from Pakistan took a game program and turned it into an application that plays short commercials in a circle every time it is launched," shared a Reddit user under the nickname OK_Noise9883.
There is currently no official confirmation of the presence of spyware or malware. The application has already been permanently removed from Google Play.
The event caused a wave of indignation and irony in the technology community due to the context of the company's actions. Since August 2025, Google has launched a large-scale campaign to restrict the installation of applications from third-party files (.apk / sideloading), arguing this with concern for user protection. And since September, certified Android devices have been allowed to run only applications from verified developers.
However, the situation where Google's own advertising algorithm takes money for promoting a fake above the company's official product undermines these claims.
"It's hard to ignore the irony of the situation, considering that Google has been blocking Android and restricting third-party installations for months for user safety. When Google's own advertising system takes money to promote a fake version of its flagship browser above the original, it looks very bad for the company," PiunikaWeb concluded.
Google is currently refraining from explaining how the Play Store moderation and advertising department missed this application.
