Fake wallet apps are counterfeit versions of trusted wallets, built for one purpose: to capture your recovery phrase the instant you type it in.
They can appear in official app stores despite review processes, and they look convincingly real, sometimes copying the logo, name, and screenshots exactly. Once installed, the app either asks you to import an existing wallet, harvesting your seed phrase, or generates a wallet whose keys the scammer already controls.
A few warning signs help you spot them. Check the developer name against the wallet's official website. Look at the download count and the age of the reviews, since fakes are often new with suspiciously perfect ratings. Watch for tiny spelling differences in the app name. And never follow a download link sent in a message or an ad.
The safest path is always to get the download link directly from the wallet provider's official website, which you reached by typing the address yourself.