Hacker Lexicon: What Is Fleeceware, and How Can You Protect Yourself?

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 Sneaky developers are charging big bucks for basic apps. Here's how to spot a scam in sheep's clothing.

IT'S ALWAYS SAFER to download mobile apps from official stores like Google Play and Apple's iOS App Store, but even then there's still some risk that malicious apps have snuck in. 

You've already heard of spyware, adware, and malware writ large, but now there's another flavor of sketchy app to worry about: fleeceware.

Fleeceware is tricky, because there's typically nothing malicious in the code of the offending apps. They don't steal your data or try to take over your device, meaning there's nothing malware-like for Google and Apple's vetting process to catch.

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