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DeFiLlama Forces Apple to Remove Fake App After Staged Wallet Drain

The episode shows Apple’s App Store review and trademark processes can fail to stop fake crypto apps until proof of active theft compels removal.

Overview

  • DeFiLlama said on Aug. 15 that after months of trademark and impersonation reports it loaded a small test wallet, connected it to a fake iOS app, and let the app drain the funds to collect evidence; Apple removed the listing within days.
  • The project delayed its official mobile launch while impersonating apps remained live and now lists a verified iOS app after the fraudulent listing was taken down.
  • Reporting and blockchain analysis link the same pattern of cloned apps to other attacks, and earlier coverage tied a fake Rabby Wallet listing to roughly $1.6 million traced in stolen funds.
  • Kaspersky threat researchers and multiple teams say attackers use cloned wallet apps to phish seed phrases, reconstruct victims’ wallets, and launder assets across blockchains.
  • The case shows that App Store approval is no longer a reliable sign of legitimacy and that users should install apps only from a project’s official site while platforms tighten review, trademark response, and takedown processes.