At the beginning of the month, it was reported that the number one paid app in the Google Play Store was a complete scam. Virus Shield, a one-click protection software, racked up over 10,000 purchases from unsuspecting buyers by claiming to provide protection against harmful apps. Virus Shield also claimed to provide scans in real-time and protection of personal information. In reality, the application simply changed a red “x” graphic into a red check mark graphic; This graphical change symbolized that the user was protected.
According to Android Police, Google is now refunding those that purchased the application earlier this month. Google is sending emails to those that purchased the protection software, informing them that the application was a scam, and that they will be receiving a refund within the next 14 days.
Additionally, for the inconvenience, Google is offering a five-dollar promotional Google Play Store credit. This credit can be used to purchase apps, games, music, books and other content from the Play Store. While there have been discussions in the past in regards to applications submitted to the Google Play Store for approval, this recent event brings to light that even non-malicious applications can still cause issues if not screened properly.
Source: Android Police