Fake WhatsApp app found lurking on Google Play Store with over 10,000 downloads

At a time when WhatsApp's "Delete for Everyone" feature is getting welcomed by users all over the world, a fake version of the popular messaging application has been spotted on the Google Play store.

Dubbed "Update WhatsApp Messenger", the bogus app has been developed by a company calling itself "WhatsApp Inc." Despite some users describing it as a "fake app," the application has apparently garnered over 10,000 downloads. There's another version of the same app, which has over a million downloads.

"Fake app trying to be WhatsApp. Do not download," said a user.

"Fake app do not install. It makes your phone full of ads," said another user.

The existence of counterfeit WhatsApp application on the Google Play store was first flagged up by a Twitter user @MujtabaMHaq. The same was later highlighted by the popular WhatsApp change tracking website WABetaInfo on the microblogging site.

The app that @MujtabaMHaq tweeted about was a fake version of the upcoming WhatsApp Business app. The bogus app, which was apparently developed by a company calling itself "Whasp. Business Inc.", had a high rating of 4.3, despite some users describing it as a "fraud app" and "data theft."

Several users had reportedly complained about the app in the comments section, and now it cannot be found on the Google Play store. However, various versions of the Update WhatsApp Messenger app are still available for download.

WhatsApp officially released the much-awaited "Delete for Everyone" feature earlier this week. It allows users to erase specific messages they have sent to either a group or an individual.

With multiple fake WhatsApp apps lurking on the Play store, it's now Google's turn to "delete" these phony and potentially malicious apps for "everyone."