Google has begun compensating users who purchased a fake antivirus app from Google Play, proving that money is a small price to pay to preserve its reputation.
As Android Police revealed earlier this month, the fake virus scanner was nothing more than an icon that changed shape when the user clicked on it.
The app ranked first on Google Play, before its true nature was revealed and it was removed from the online store.
The app, which was sold for $3.99, has had at least 30,000 downloads, according to AppBrain.
Google decided to refund buyers, providing them with a $5 credit for purchases from the Play Store.
The app's creator, Jesse Carter, defended himself in The Guardian newspaper, saying that uploading the app to Google Play was a mistake and promised to refund the money to users who purchased it. However, Google seems to have decided not to wait for Carter, and to compensate buyers itself.
