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iPhone 12 mini Populus Run app installed without my knowledge. Anyone else?

R

Richard.inabox

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Dec 10, 2020
7
2
US of A
Hello fellow citizens of the forum...


I apologize if this is not the right place to post - I'm still a newb!


I noticed today that the new game "Populus Run" was installed on my iPhone. The funny thing is I never installed it!! I have stayed up late the last few nights and I have fallen asleep with my finger on the screen before... (causing some apps to be moved around,) I do not see how I could have installed it while half asleep. I have 12 mini and it requires a double click of the power button plus face ID to complete a purchase. I got kind of weirded out and deleted it right away.

What REALLY makes it interesting, is it does not show up in my purchase history. Also, when I search for the game in the App Store, I see the "get" button and not the iCloud icon indicating that I've previously downloaded it.

I've read that if you share your account, there's a setting that automatically downloads apps others have downloaded. While I do have family sharing with my wife, she NEVER buys anything on the App Store. In addition to that, it doesn't show up in her history either.

Am I overreacting? Is there a chance my account has been hacked? Either way for safety's sake, I'll change my iCloud pw.

Any suggestions or explanations would be greatly appreciated.
 
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Just so I understand. A brand-new game (not some random game, but just released) suddenly appeared on your iPhone?
Probably just a freeby, pushed to your iPhone (somehow), that you purchase the first time you launch the game...
That's my explanation - I wouldn't believe that myself...

I also have a suggestion:
I'm thinking it's time to stop sleeping in the same room with your iPhone!
 
Richard.inabox said:
Hello fellow citizens of the forum...


I apologize if this is not the right place to post - I'm still a newb!


I noticed today that the new game "Populus Run" was installed on my iPhone. The funny thing is I never installed it!! I have stayed up late the last few nights and I have fallen asleep with my finger on the screen before... (causing some apps to be moved around,) I do not see how I could have installed it while half asleep. I have 12 mini and it requires a double click of the power button plus face ID to complete a purchase. I got kind of weirded out and deleted it right away.

What REALLY makes it interesting, is it does not show up in my purchase history. Also, when I search for the game in the App Store, I see the "get" button and not the iCloud icon indicating that I've previously downloaded it.

I've read that if you share your account, there's a setting that automatically downloads apps others have downloaded. While I do have family sharing with my wife, she NEVER buys anything on the App Store. In addition to that, it doesn't show up in her history either.

Am I overreacting? Is there a chance my account has been hacked? Either way for safety's sake, I'll change my iCloud pw.

Any suggestions or explanations would be greatly appreciated.
Click to expand...

This is odd.

What I am seeing for me is that on January 5, 2021 my credit card saw a transaction for $0.99 on App Store with no purchase history and no bill emailed to me. I blocked my card and got a new one. On February 6, 2021 I see another attempt for the same price, but since the card is blocked, the transaction does not go through. There have been 3 more attempts between yesterday and today (February 7) for the same amount, all blocked since the old card number was being used.

I do not know what is going on with Apple. This is the first time in 10 years that this has happened, my card charged for an App Store purchase I did not make.
 
Last edited:
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macintoshmac said:
What I am seeing for me is that on January 5, 2021 my credit card saw a transaction for $0.99 on App Store with no purchase history and no bill emailed to me.
Click to expand...
Sounds like you authorized Apple to increase your iCloud storage from 5GB to 50GB. Apple charges .99 every month for that and it does appear like the charge is coming from the App Store.

Maybe you don't remember?
 
DeltaMac said:
Just so I understand. A brand-new game (not some random game, but just released) suddenly appeared on your iPhone?
Probably just a freeby, pushed to your iPhone (somehow), that you purchase the first time you launch the game...
That's my explanation - I wouldn't believe that myself...

I also have a suggestion:
I'm thinking it's time to stop sleeping in the same room with your iPhone!
Click to expand...
LOL.

I get it!

But why doesn't it show up as a re-download? I search for it and it's as if it was never on my phone?
 
macintoshmac said:
This is odd.

What I am seeing for me is that on January 5, 2021 my credit card saw a transaction for $0.99 on App Store with no purchase history and no bill emailed to me. I blocked my card and got a new one. On February 6, 2021 I see another attempt for the same price, but since the card is blocked, the transaction does not go through. There have been 3 more attempts between yesterday and today (February 7) for the same amount, all blocked since the old card number was being used.

I do not know what is going on with Apple. This is the first time in 10 years that this has happened, my card charged for an App Store purchase I did not make.
Click to expand...
Weird stuff. My card wasn't charged as it was in apple arcade and I have a free trial. It was weird nonetheless. Sounds similar to yours in a way.
 
It's an Apple Arcade game, so you wouldn't have had to purchase it; it's a one-click install. It was also featured on the app store at one point, making it even easier to accidentally install in your sleep.
 
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chscag said:
Sounds like you authorized Apple to increase your iCloud storage from 5GB to 50GB. Apple charges .99 every month for that and it does appear like the charge is coming from the App Store.

Maybe you don't remember?
Click to expand...

Oh, no. I have been on 200 GB since a few years, and that charge is on another date. This charge, when it happened, I never received any email from Apple about what the purchase was. I checked my accounts and connected family accounts, nothing. That was when I deactivated my card and got myself a replacement. Also, exactly a month later, yesterday, the charge is being tried again. Even after one full day, right now, I have had 4 instances of failed payment on that card for $0.99 by Apple. I have no clue what is going on.

When the unexpected charge occurred in January, not only did I replace my card, I removed it from my Apple account. I am the family organiser, so that card is removed from everywhere. I checked, to be sure. Even then, on February 6, and since February 6, I am getting transaction failure messages from Apple for $0.99. Clearly, this is a leak unrelated to my Apple accounts since if it were something in my account, Apple would have charged the new card I updated with Apple. Instead, the blocked card is being attempted. So, this is not me, this is someone else trying their hand.

I have been using Apple's billing system for over a decade now, and since App Store came to be. This is the first time I am facing this.

Just to be sure, frankly, I am not using my card at questionable places. There are only 2-4 places I use my card, and I use it only online. Any one of them could have suffered a leak, I suppose, with someone getting my card number and trying to use it at Apple?

In this case, though, when someone tries to enter the card info, isn't one supposed to verify using CVV? When I enter a new card, I get a message from my card company that Apple tried to verify/ validate your card and request was successful. None of that happened with me.
I just got charged with $0.99 one fine day in January, and attempts are being made since February 6 through February 7 on the blocked card that is also removed from my Apple account.

Which makes me think that the leak is somewhere within Apple or something else is going on - malicious in-app purchase or anything.

If anyone can help me out with resolving this, I would be grateful. Do feel free to contact me here or privately.
 
Last edited:
schmegs said:
It's an Apple Arcade game, so you wouldn't have had to purchase it; it's a one-click install. It was also featured on the app store at one point, making it even easier to accidentally install in your sleep.
Click to expand...
Interesting... haha I wasn't aware that it wouldn't show as installed or even in the "recently added" folder if it's an arcade game. Good to know thanks :)
 
Someone used one of your apple devices or possibly your apple account to purchase this, and your phone as Automatic App Downloads enabled
 
Just play the damn game. It’s an alright game lol. Some things explain themselves after a while. Relax

maybe in the future lock your iPhone soon as you start to become sleepy.
 
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