A recent research report published on Thursday has revealed the discovery of several applications that employ ChatGPT-based chatbots to exploit users, generating substantial monthly profits in the thousands of dollars.

There are some free applications on Google Play and the Apple App Store, but security firm Sophos claims that since they provide limited functionality and are continuously inundated with advertisements, they persuade unwary users to pay hundreds of dollars a year.

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Users are rushing to the Apple App and Google Play Stores to get anything that resembles ChatGPT as interest in AI and chatbots is likely at an all-time high. These fraudulent programs, which Sophos has termed “fleeceware,” often inundate users with advertisements until they subscribe, according to Sean Gallagher, chief security researcher at Sophos.

The study claims that five of those ChatGPT fleeceware applications that each claimed to be based on ChatGPT’s algorithm were looked into by specialists. For instance, ChatGPT’s moniker was utilized by the creators of the app “Chat GBT” to improve their placement on Google Play or the App Store. Users may use the bare-bones ChatGPT capability online for free thanks to OpenAI, but these applications cost anything from $10 monthly to $70 annually.

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The iOS version of “Chat GBT”, known as Ask AI Assistant, costs $6 a week, or $312 annually, following a three-day free trial, according to the article. The app made the makers $10,000 in March alone. The investigation also revealed that Genie, a different fleeceware-like software that entices users to join up for a $7 weekly or $70 yearly membership, made $1 million in revenue in the month prior to the investigation.