Fake "Microsoft Word 2012" in Apple App Store

Apple has removed a fake Microsoft Word 2012 app from the App Store after it was mistakenly given the okay during the app approval process.

Apple takes pride in the security of their "walled garden," but sometimes bad applications sneak through the cracks. This application was given the go-ahead and sat at the App Store for a short while before finally being pulled down.

Image courtesy of Betanews

Reading the description will tell you that it's likely a user guide of some sort. However, the icon and the name of the application make it misleading, and it seems intentionally so.

The developer is listed as "Super Racing Real Games," not Microsoft. This does lead to questions about how tight Apple's approval process is when it comes to some of these applications.

Of course the fake MS Word app was removed from the App Store, but we don't imagine it went without at least a few purchases. At $9.99, that can lead to some angry customers who trust that Apple is more careful than to allow bogus applications through the gates.

While there have been some fake applications in the past that made it through Apple's approval process, most of those had secret features that made them much less obvious, such as applications with hidden tethering abilities.

We've reached out to Apple and are awaiting comment.

Hat tip to BetaNews.