Beware, fake ‘Fortnite’ Android apps are being spread via YouTube videos

YouTube videos claiming to have download links for the Android version of Fortnite are fake.

Fortnite is currently available on mobile for iOS with a summer release slated for Android. (Shutterstock)

Epic Games' Fortnite is all the rage right now, with the game making USD 100 million in worldwide player spending on iOS. The Android version of the game isn't available as yet, with the release expected this summer. The craze for Fortnite on Android has however led to many fake videos claiming links to download the game.

It's a common to see fake versions of popular games and apps on Play Store. This is however different as it comes through YouTube videos which show a step-by-step process of downloading the Android version of the game. Nathan Collier of Malwarebytes discovers these fake links as containing malware.

The fake app shows Fortnite's and its creator, Epic Games' official logos and even the intro song, besides official Fortnite pictures copied from iOS. Developers try to make it more realistic by showing screens of the game loading, updating and logging in as well.

The next step required is mobile verification after which the user needs to confirm that they're not a bot. The fake app finally lands the user on Google Play Store but only to install other apps. The process is recurring with the user installing other apps but not Fortnite. The number of downloads achieved through the fake videos amount to money earned by malware developers.

A Google search for "Fortnite Android download" shows results of APK files and YouTube videos which have already garnered thousands of views.

There is no Android version of Fortnite available as yet. Users should be advised to not fall for these tricks. Till then, one can enjoy PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG) on Android and wait for its rival app to release.