Apple’s App Store saw a wave of Sora copycats, and some are still there

The hottest new app is here

Everyone is buzzing about OpenAI’s new Sora app, a revolutionary tool that transforms text into stunning videos. Its instant popularity, however, created a perfect opportunity for scammers seeking a quick profit.

If you’ve searched for it in the App Store recently, you likely encountered quite a confusing situation. You were probably greeted not by one official app, but by a crowd of fakes with deceptively similar names.

A flood of fake Soras

Immediately following Sora’s launch, the App Store was inundated with impostor apps brazenly using its trademarked name. Appfigures tracking found more than a dozen impostor apps using ‘Sora’ or ‘Sora 2’ in their titles in the days after Sora’s launch.

They cleverly positioned themselves to capture search results when people are eager to find the genuine article. Astonishingly, many of these apps were not new creations but rather old, repurposed apps that received a quick, opportunistic name change to capitalize on the Sora wave.

Sneaking past Apple’s guards

You might wonder how these fakes infiltrated Apple’s famously curated App Store. They somehow slipped past the company’s official App Review process, gaining public listings despite using a well-known, trademarked name.

This security lapse has left many technology experts questioning the current effectiveness of app review systems against such coordinated, hype-driven scams. Apple eventually catches and removes many of these copycats.

The scammer’s payday

These fake apps were not just harmless pranks; they generated serious revenue from unsuspecting users. Collectively, the impostor apps pulled in over $160,000 during their short, fraudulent lifetimes.

This substantial payday clearly illustrates the strong financial motivation behind these deceptive schemes. The most successful fake, Sora 2 AI Video Generator, was installed more than 50,000 times by itself, contributing to a staggering total of 300,000 collective downloads across various app stores.

Why this hurts users

Downloading a fake Sora app often leads to a frustrating experience instead of a magical video creator. Many apps provide subpar results using different, less advanced AI models, or they place users in endless digital queues for videos that never arrive.

Worse yet, some applications are primarily designed to quietly harvest personal data from your device without your knowledge. Instead of creating cool content, you risk handing over private information to malicious actors.

The official app is exclusive

Scammers exploit one crucial fact: the real Sora app is currently invite-only. OpenAI launched Sora as an invite-only iOS app on Sept. 30, 2025, with initial availability limited to the U.S. and Canada. You cannot simply download it and start using it immediately without an official invitation from the company.

This significant gap between massive public demand and very limited supply creates a perfect environment for fraudsters to operate and offer what people desperately want.

A recurring problem for Apple

This is not the first time copycats have swarmed the App Store after a major tech launch. Similar fake app invasions occurred with the releases of ChatGPT and other popular AI tools. The scale and speed of the Sora impersonators, however, felt even more aggressive and widespread.

Prominent tech commentator John Gruber highlighted the issue by naming one clone the App Store scam of the week, underscoring growing public concern.

Fakes still linger today

Even after cleanup efforts, some Sora-branded apps stubbornly remain available on the App Store. Apps like PetReels Sora for Pets and Sora 2 Video Generator AI were still listed for download recently.

Their continued presence risks confusing more users every single day. While these remaining apps have gained comparatively less traction, their existence shows the challenge of fully scrubbing the marketplace clean.

A wider fraud epidemic

The Sora situation is merely one symptom of a much larger problem. Recent industry reports indicate a staggering 300% increase in fraudulent iOS apps during 2025.

This dramatic spike aligns perfectly with the rising availability of AI tools that can help generate convincing fake software almost instantly. These schemes are also becoming more crafty, using AI to write legitimate-sounding app descriptions that bypass both automated filters and human reviewers.

How to spot a fake

Protecting yourself starts with knowing the key warning signs. Always verify the developer name listed under the app title; the real Sora app is provided by OpenAI.

Be extremely skeptical of any application that promises immediate, open access to Sora, as the official version is strictly invite-only. Carefully read the most recent user reviews for consistent complaints about functionality, and view high subscription costs with suspicion.

The new scammer playbook

Modern scammers possess a powerful new advantage: easily accessible AI tools. Specialized websites now allow people with zero coding skills to build and publish fraudulent apps quickly. This dramatically lowers the technical barrier to entry for this kind of crime.

These bad actors also use AI to generate fake positive reviews and simulate legitimate user traffic, making their apps appear trustworthy and boosting their store rankings.

When hype creates danger

The incredible buzz around AI video generation is what makes these scams so effective. Sora’s ability to create hyper-realistic videos from simple text has captured the global imagination.

Scammers understand that when people are excited and curious, they sometimes let their guard down and click without thinking. They bank on the fact that users might not double-check an app listing in their rush to try the next big technological marvel.

What OpenAI is doing

OpenAI has emphasized feature rollout and safety updates for Sora, including visible and embedded provenance signals, while Apple and other platforms handle removals of impostor listings.

The official Sora also includes important ethical safeguards, like watermarks on generated content, which copycat apps typically ignore entirely.

A call for better security

This wave of fakes serves as a clear warning sign for the future of App Store security. Experts argue that companies like Apple and Google must urgently rethink and modernize their app vetting processes.

The old defensive systems simply are not built to counter AI-speed deception that can generate polished fakes almost instantly. It has become a relentless digital arms race, with platforms struggling to catch up to rapidly evolving threats.

A lesson for all new tech

The Sora story provides a crucial cautionary tale for any hot new technology that captures the public’s attention. Wherever there is massive hype and limited access, scammers will inevitably follow to exploit consumer excitement and curiosity.

This pattern will almost certainly repeat with the next major AI or tech breakthrough that hits the market. Staying informed, patient, and cautious is your best personal defense in this new digital landscape.

Your safety checklist

Before downloading any trending new app, make it a habit to first visit the official company’s website. Legitimate companies always provide direct links to their authentic applications on their official sites, helping you avoid most impersonators from the start.

Always scrutinize the developer information and read the fine print within the app’s description carefully. If anything feels off or seems too good to be true, it is always better to wait and confirm its legitimacy.

Want to see how regulators are tackling this issue? Check out how the EU is scrutinizing Apple, Google, and Microsoft over scams.

Navigating the digital future

The line between real and fake applications is getting blurrier every single day in our app stores. As AI technology continues its rapid advance, these impostor apps will only become more convincing and significantly harder for the average person to spot.

Both the digital platforms and we, the users, need to develop new, more vigilant habits to stay safe online. The ultimate goal is to safely enjoy amazing new technologies without falling victim to the bad actors hiding in their shadows.

It’s a shifting landscape, but staying informed is your best defense. See how Apple is responding by taking on ChatGPT with a major Siri upgrade.

Pass this along to a friend to help them stay safe, too, and share your own tips in the comments.

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This slideshow was made with AI assistance and human editing.