THE GEN C:\> SCAN FAKE-AI-APPS
Fake AI App & ChatGPT Download Scams
Ads on social media or at the top of search results for an AI tool. Clicking takes you to a copycat site that installs malware, which can steal your information and get into your accounts.
"Sponsored: Download the NEW ChatGPT Pro desktop app FREE — limited time!"
Red flags
- You got there from an ad, not by typing the real address
- "Free" premium versions of popular AI tools
- A download from a site that isn't the company's official one
What to do
- Don't click ads to download software. Type the company's real web address yourself.
- On search results, scroll past anything labeled "Ad" or "Sponsored."
- Keep your phone, computer, and browser updated.
Where to report it
Got a message like this right now? Paste it into the free Scam Radar checker to see the red flags. It runs in your browser and never saves your message.
Know someone who'd fall for this?
Scammers count on people not talking about it. Send this guide to a parent, a friend, or the family group chat.
Related scams
Keep your family safe
Copy a ready-made prompt from the Staying safe prompts, like setting up a family code word or locking down your accounts. Want an AI helper you can trust? Try the AI Finder quiz.
Sources
- FTC: Ads for fake AI and other software spread malicious software (Apr 13, 2023)
- FBI IC3 PSA I-120324-PSA: Criminals Use Generative AI to Facilitate Financial Fraud (Dec 3, 2024)
Last checked: 2026-10-19. General education, not legal or financial advice. Sample messages are made up.