Bogus apps are targeting holiday shoppers on the iOS App Store

Holiday shopping? There's an app for that — but you'll want to make sure you're using the right one to avoid compromising your identity and credit card information.

Malicious apps designed to trick shoppers have wormed their way into Apple's iOS App Store, according to recent reports in The New York Times and New York Post. They mimic legitimate outlets like Foot Locker and Nordstrom to fool people into handing over their personal information.

Some are even ransomware, the Times reported, meaning apps that actually lock a user out of their phone until they pay a fee.

It's unclear how these apps made their way into the App Store, which is generally viewed as secure. After all, it's the single official portal allowing new software onto your device. If Apple can't keep that safe, what are consumers supposed to do?

"We strive to offer customers the best experience possible and we take their security very seriously," Tom Neumayr, an Apple spokesman, told Mashable in an emailed statement.

"We’ve set up ways for customers and developers to flag fraudulent or suspicious apps, which we promptly investigate to ensure the App Store is safe and secure," he added. "We’ve removed these offending apps and will continue to be vigilant about looking for apps that might put our users at risk."

As the Times noted, there are so many new app submissions every day that Apple may not thoroughly comb each and every one. Plus, it's possible that app developers could change the content of an app after it's been approved.

To stay safe, exercise common sense. Don't download any app with overwhelmingly negative reviews, and make sure to avoid apps with weird misspellings or other typos in their names or descriptions.