Scammers set to exploit ChatGPT hype with fake apps in S.Korea

OpenAI’s sensational chatbot service ChatGPT is finally available in South Korea after its official launch last week, but its devotees in the country may end up with bogus ChatGPT apps that could dupe them with exorbitant subscription fees or high privacy risks.

The world’s most widely known artificial intelligence startup on Friday finally rolled out the free ChatGPT app in the Apple Store in 11 countries, including Korea and Germany, about a week after its launch in the US, according to the information technology industry on Tuesday.

OpenAI’s generative AI chatbot is free to use in these countries without advertising. Its faster and upgraded version is also available for a monthly subscription fee of $19.99 in Korea. Its Android app is expected to hit the market soon, according to OpenAI.

But both Apple Store and Google Play Store in Korea are already crowded with fake ChatGPT apps, raising the alarm.

One fake ChatGPT app in the Google Play Store with a ChatGPT-like icon and similar app layout design boasts more than 1 million downloads and 53,000 reviews.

But its users soon encounter frequent pop-up ads and are tricked to pay 8,500 won ($6.5) weekly. Once its user makes an initial payment, its weekly subscription service immediately begins.

Other apps fool users with similar names like ChatAIGPT and AI Chat - AI Chatbot Assistant, or automatically change the payment conditions to an auto payment setting three days after the first use.

Some fraudulent chatbot apps require permissions that are unnecessarily overreaching.

Those who want to download the genuine ChatGPT app are encouraged to take extra caution, including thorough checks of app names.

OpenAI is seeking to trademark GPT,  which stands for Generative Pre-trained Transformer, with the United States Patent and Trademark Office. It is also known to have applied for its trademark in Korea.

While waiting for the final say, OpenAI is actively policing the use of GPT in other services by sending out brand use guideline warning messages about its use.           

This means the GPT label may not be used in other apps soon.

But before its final decision is made, ChatGPT users are advised to download the app only after confirming the developer is OpenAI to avoid scams or hidden malware.

Write to Ju-Hyun Lee at deep@hankyung.com

Sookyung Seo edited this article.