Fraudulent Mobile Apps Surge Amid AI Advancements: Insights from DoubleVerify
In 2025, DoubleVerify (DV) reported a dramatic increase in fraudulent mobile apps exploiting AI within both iOS and Android platforms. Findings from DV Fraud Lab show fraudulent iOS apps have nearly tripled compared to the five-year average, while Android fraud surged six-fold. These deceptive apps primarily serve ads or undertake malicious activities, complicating matters for advertisers. Yuval Rubin, DV’s Fraud Detection Lead, highlighted enhanced tactics enabling fraudulent apps to bypass traditional marketplace reviews. AI’s role is pivotal, as fraudsters employ it to create convincing applications, generate fake reviews, and manipulate user activity. Notably, a malicious gaming app evaded detection, generating 200,000 daily impressions with basic graphics. As the landscape evolves, DV warns that fraudulent activity now permeates direct buys and Private Marketplace (PMP) deals, urging advertisers to utilize independent measurement tools. Without proactive measures, this trend threatens ad spend and the integrity of legitimate developers.
