Since the initial release of Pokémon GO, a free-to-play location-based augmented reality mobile game developed by Niantic and published by The Pokémon Company, on July 6, 2016, cybercriminals have started taking advantage of the popular game, by creating fake and malicious versions of it. We have seen versions of the fake Pokémon GO that display annoying pop-up messages, and others that redirect mobile users to phishing websites that steal personal and financial information.
Therefore, it is recommended that players of Pokémon GO only install the game from the Google Android Play store or from Apple iOS iTunes store (see links below). Players who download and install Pokémon GO from elsewhere, run the risk of infecting their mobile devices with malware that display annoying pop-up messages that will attempt to trick them into visiting phishing websites that will steal their personal and financial information, and usernames and passwords.
Although we recommend installing Pokémon GO from the Google Android Play or from Apple iOS iTunes stores, caution should be taken, because developers of malicious apps may find ways of getting their malicious apps in those stores. If you search for Pokémon GO in both stores, you will get at least 15 apps in your search results, which makes it hard to determine the legitimate one. Because of this, we have posted the following links to the legitimate Pokémon GO for both iOS and Android:
For those of us who are not familiar with Pokémon GO, please watch the video below to learn more:
Pokemon Go. Venusaur, Charizard, Blastoise, Pikachu, and many other Pokémon have been discovered on planet Earth!
Now’s your chance to discover and capture the Pokémon all around you—so get your shoes on, step outside, and explore the world. You’ll join one of three teams and battle for the prestige and ownership of Gyms with your Pokémon at your side.
Pokémon GO players may also go to the official website at www.pokemongo.com for more information.
Most mobile users think it is alright to download apps from anywhere, because they think they are protected by the antivirus software installed on their devices. But, antivirus software, which we always recommend, cannot guarantee 100% protection against new viruses and malware. That is why online users should never download apps recklessly because they have antivirus or antimalware software installed on their mobile devices.