WebLinerock Investments LTD. Worldwide Totals (17 apps) Period: Last 30 Days. It adds: "We collect your name, email address, user name, social network information and other information you provide when you register.". Furthermore, many details surrounding such claims are unknown. They simply remove the app afterwards (which does not stop the subscription) and get charged after the trial is over. People can select which photos they want to turn into cartoons, and the app will generate thoseimages into caricatures. The domain registrant is not Linerock Investments Ltd, but its founder. The apps owners told Snopes that the company never had an office in Russia, but lawyers at Andersen Business Services who registered it do have an address on "Although most people will not question the possibilities of anything untoward occurring from simply uploading a photo, the amount of data taken under the radar can often be far more than the user intended on sharing which can cause security and privacy problems. The current app portfolio contains 14 apps. You can download a raw copy of the database here. She said the firm was only in the Russian capital as that was the former home of the founder of the company, who has now moved. We are a BVI company with development offices in Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus. We found thats true, except for a key difference TikTok and Instagram both ask for permission to access peoples contact lists to connect users with their friends on the apps. This account already exists. The app is proving incredibly popular online, offering the chance to turn a photograph of users into attractive, highly-stylised cartoon-style images. VERIFY reached out to Amazon and Microsoft to confirm but did not hear back at the time of publication. When you download the app, you are agreeing to share your location, your device details and other photos on your social media accounts. WebLinerock Investments LTD We know everything about easy photo editing and provide innovative still handy mobile applications and web tools to users all over the world Photo Some social media users claimed the app was stealing data in a criminal fashion. The Dailymail interviewed a Global Cybersecurity Advisor that said the app can capture your face in high resolution and questions why an app would want this much data, especially in another country. "Dare to be different, with a profile pic that reflects your current mood or state of mind. The app developers explain: "Whenever you choose an effect that involves face manipulations we use special face recognition technologies to detect a photo; find required facial key points, and apply the effect to your photo.". "Impress your friends on social media and keep them interested in what's coming next! The permissions listed in the above-displayed image aren't out of the ordinary, in terms of what many popular mobile apps do. Its from a Russian based company and there are already reports of them wiping out bank accounts.". Rishi Sunak warns MPs they can't trust 'Mr 2nd Referendum' Keir Starmer on Brexit in meeting with backbench DAILY MAIL COMMENT: Rishi Sunak's vaunted Brexit deal could be a landmark achievement, Rishi's deal gives Brexit a second chance. Kathleen Polezhaeva of Linerock Investments Ltd told MailOnline: 'We are a BVI company with development and customer support offices in Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus. Lunina said the domain address in Moscowwas registered tothe former addressof Victor Sazhin, the founder of Linerock. Key Principal: Victor Sazhin See more contacts Industry: Computer software development When searching WHOIS, a public database that houses information collected when someone registers for a domain name, archived results from May 11 said NewProfilePic.com was registered to a Moscow-based address. The Dailymail interviewed a Global Cybersecurity Photo of electric charging station powered by diesel generator is emblematic of the electric vehicle movement. "The NewProfilePic app lets you change your user image style as often as you want. Linerock Investments, LTD is a private company. Read our, {{#verifyErrors}} {{message}} {{/verifyErrors}} {{^verifyErrors}} {{message}} {{/verifyErrors}}. We depend on the generous support of readers like you to help us expose corruption and hold the powerful to account. According to Linerocks privacy policy, the company only collects personal information that is voluntarily provided. The servers that host users images are based in the U.S., not Russia. Please contact us if you find an error in the database. It is also worth reiterating that this app didn't come from a new company, and New Profile Pic isn't their first app. Polezhaeva told VERIFY Linerock Investment LTD was founded in Tortola, British Virgin Islands. Apple will pay customers $700 for a slowed-down iPhone. Elle Josten of Cape Coral created numerous pictures of her six-month-old son. The company behind the App is called Linerock Investments Ltd, who according to the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists Offshore Leaks However, it seems that the app's website
is registered to Linerock Investments, which is based in Moscow not far from Russia's Ministry of Joan Rivers was killed for revealing that Barack Obama is gay and Michelle Obama is transgender. Updated [May 13, 2022]: Updated to note that the app has since added in-app purchases. "He does not live in the Russian Federation now," she wrote in an email to PolitiFact. TikToks privacy policy also says certain data is collected when registering to use the platform. In a world of wild talk and fake news, help us stand up for the facts. Although there currently is no evidence to indicate that New Profile Pic is a scam, you should always do your due diligence with new apps. Youve probably seen it sweeping across your social media feeds. Developers Origins. Heres how you can tell. While this app requests permission to access certain data on your phone, these requests aren't unusual. However, a check of Sunbiz found no company named Linerock Investments Ltd operating or doing business in Florida. The app can The company's data policy states 'we collect certain personal information that you voluntarily provide to us'. Sazhin wrote in an Instagram post of his own Russian and Ukrainian heritage, noting that the companys team consists ofpeople from both countries. This ICIJ database contains information on more than 810,000 offshore entities that are part of the Pandora Papers, Paradise Papers, Bahamas Leaks, Panama Papers and Offshore Leaks investigations. Web1. By now the address has been changed in order to avoid any confusion. The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists offshore leaks database shows that Linerock Investments Ltd has an address in Moscow and is also "In this ever changing world, why stick to one profile pic on your social media? People should certainly be aware that they are granting this amount of access to companies when they download their apps. I dont think I have any significance to Russia and I think they have much bigger issues right now. We collect your name, email address, user name, social network information and other information you provide when you register.. We need a full body, or torso. However, he has since moved, and the apps domain address has changed. This quickly changed now to Florida, Ritter noted. It has been downloaded more than a million times and has almost 50,000 reviews on the Google Play Store. All of a sudden when the company is based in Moscow, its oh my God it is Moscow and the company is collecting my data. ;)'. There are concerns over a new app that is turning new profile pics into works of art. The BBC will suspend the 159-a-year licence fee for two days so people can watch EPHRAIM HARDCASTLE: Could Nicola Sturgeon return the Stone of Scone for King Charles's coronation as one of Just 11 MINUTES of brisk walking each day is enough to slash your chances of dying early, study reveals. For other inquiries, Contact Us. PolitiFact researcher Caryn Baird contributed to this fact check. The firm claims the 'detected key points may be kept along with the photo on the servers of our providers for up to two weeks from the last interaction with the photo to speed up further processing of the same photos'. This is necessary in order to apply all those fancy effects driven by AI technologies. Our iOS team is mostly Russian. Android, Android. The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists had already included Linerock Investments Ltd on its Offshore Leaks database, showing the firm's registered address was in Central Moscow, The app offers users the opportunity to create quick digital avatars of themselves. It is true that the apps domain was initially registered in Moscow. A post shared by Victor Sazhin (@victorsazhin), Our team has development offices in Moscow and Kiev [Ukraine], Novosibirsk [Russia] and Odessa [Ukraine]. We suggest you confirm the identities of any individuals or entities included in the database based on addresses or other identifiable information. Access to the services. one Facebook post warned. One person shared a screenshot of the requested app permissions and wrote: "DO NOT download the NEW PROFILE PIC.COM APP it takes all your information and sends it to Moscow!!!!!!!". The spokesperson told Snopes: Since all the pictures shared on the social networks bear our #NewProfilePic logo, people use app store search to find the app. Read more, The Offshore Leaks data is current through 2010, The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, Andersen Business Services, Inc. Frunzenskaya Nab., 40 Moscow, 119270 Russia. Meanwhile, the Cyber Helpline, which offers advice to online victims, gives the overall trust score for this app is just 14%. Our app is being developed by an international team with development offices in Russia, Ukraine and Belarus. The company's data policy is clear that 'we collect certain personal information that you voluntarily provide to us'. | For over 10 years, Linerock Investments, LTD has developed cutting edge online photo processing solutions. The data comes directly from the leaked files ICIJ has received in connection with various investigations and each dataset encompasses a defined time period specified in the database. The NewProfilePic app does not access users banking information or contact lists, and it does not send their information to Russia. Google Play App Store / Linerock Investments ltd, You must be at least 18 years old to create an account, Must be at least 6 characters, include an upper and lower case character and a number, I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from Evening Standard. Need more. St. Petersburg, FL The company currently specializes in the Entertainment area. Heres how it works: Once users downloadand openthe app, itasks whetherthey'd like to try a three-day trial for its pro version, which costs $29.99. NewProfilePic was created by a mobile development group called Informe Laboratories Inc., and copyrighted by Linerock Investments Ltd., said Kristina Lunina, a Linerock Investments spokesperson. 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When we compared the contents of this screenshot to that of other top apps, such as TikTok, WhatsApp, and Instagram, we found that requesting users' permission to "receive data from internet" and "have full network access" isn't unusual. "This app is likely a way of capturing people's faces in high resolution and I would question any app wanting this amount of data, especially one which is largely unheard of and based in another country," he added. "Regardless of where they are based, I would always err on the side of caution when handing over sensitive data as once it has gone it is virtually impossible to gain control of it back.". This is one example: We have not been able to confirm or disprove that this actually happened. Linerocks headquarters are based in the British Virgin Islands, and they have development offices in Russia, Ukraine and Belarus. In the United States' Apple App Store, the app is called NewProfilePic Picture Editor and was developed by Informe Laboratories, Inc. the same developing group that released ToonMe. Our app is being developed by an international team with development offices in Russia, Ukraine and Belarus. 1800 I Street NW On both Google's and Apple's app store, the developer's location is listed as being Tortola in the British Virgin Islands. Last 180 Days. That said, New Profile Pic's permissions aren't abnormal. A spokesperson for the app told us: "The NewProfilePic app does not store users' accounts or any personal data. In early May, NewProfilePic, an application that uses artificial intelligence technologies to stylize your social media profile picture, shot to the top of the charts on Google Play and the Apple App Store. Hundreds of thousands of people have uploaded high-quality pictures of their faces to the New Profile Pic app in order to get a modified profile picture to use on social media. A spokesperson for the app told us that while the screenshots showing charges may be real, they didn't come from the New Profile Pic App as the app, as of this writing, is "absolutely free and it does not contain in-app purchases so it does not require any payment information of the users.". While it's unclear if the app and website are even affiliated, Jake Moore, Global Cybersecurity Advisor, ESET Internet Security told MailOnline that users need to be cautious when uploading photographs or personal data to a new website. By agreeing to download the app, users are willing to share their location, details about the device they are using as well as other photographs on their social media feeds. MailOnline has approached Apple and Google for a comment. The post, which addresses the war between Russia and Ukraine, provided background on his companys connections to both countries. Your membership is the foundation of our sustainability and resilience. Furthermore, you want to keep your device secure with a strong password, biometric features or two-factor authentication. A blog post from the app developers published May 11 touting the apps success also confirms the office locations. It has a shareholder based in Panama City, while a director is based in Russia. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google. App creator and founder of Linerock Investment, Victor Sazhain, is from Russia and responded to the rumors: "The war between Russia and Ukraine has been always unthinkable. 'The address on Moscow River is the address of lawyers who registered the company. But some folks like Laura Myer of Fort Myers were suspicious of the app and wanted to know who was behind the artwork. The company currently specializes in the Entertainment area. 'It is true that the domain was registered to the Moscow address. Kathleen Polezhaeva from the company said it is based in the British Virgin Islands and has development and customer support offices in Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus. The concern is that the app may contain dangerous Russian malware. Registered in: Not identified. ? Tens of thousands of people have already uploaded their photographs to the servers of the New Profile Pic app. Overall, we estimate that Linerock Investments LTDs apps have collected about 300 million installs, 6 million of them in the last 30 days. Enter your password to log in. The App offers 'the latest AI technology' and a 'constantly updated collection of amazing styles'. The But fact-checking site Snopes said there is little evidence to suggest this app is more invasive in its collection of user data than other apps. The firm claims the "detected key points may be kept along with the photo on the servers of our providers for up to two weeks from the last interaction with the photo to speed up further processing of the same photos". "We collect your name, email address, user name, social network information and other information you provide when you register.". This app is safe for people to use it.". According to Polezhaeva, the domain name for www.newprofilepic.com, the website affiliated with the app, was originally registered by an attorney with Andersen Business Services, Inc., which has an office in Moscow. Currently, the app is #1 on Apples app store. We did not and do not plan to have any affiliation with any governmental organisations of any country.. Users on Twitter are also sharing experts' fears of a Russian-based cyberattack or scam, with one person calling the New Profile Pic app a "phishing scam". It continues: 'We collect your name, email address, user name, social network information and other information you provide when you register.'. a story from the British tabloid Daily Mail, British Virgin Islands Financial Services Commission, Yes, eligible Americans need to apply for a federal program to get discounted internet service, Yes, Uber and Lyft customers can be refunded for canceling a ride if a driver doesn't wear a mask, No, police cannot force you to unlock your cellphone without a search warrant, Kate Polezhaeva, spokesperson for Linerock Investments LTD, Privacy policies for Linerock Investment LTD apps, Picsart, TikTok and Facebook. xperts have warned users against using a new profile picture app, offering free digital avatars, due to its connections to Russia. The company behind the App is called Linerock Investments Ltd, who according to the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists Offshore Leaks database, is registered in Moscow. It is the former Moscow address of the founder of the company. District of Columbia Last 365 Days. We tested and explored NewProfilePic for ourselves. According to the app store pages for NewProfilePic, the address associated with the app is a business center located in Tortolas business district. In each of these examples, including NewProfilePic, the privacy policies state information could be collected from other third-party, or outside and unaffiliated, applications and shared with those third-party applications. Avoid any confusion currently specializes in the above-displayed image are n't unusual collects... Dare to be different, with a strong password, biometric features or two-factor authentication Baird contributed to fact! Site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google been able to confirm but not. Of electric charging station powered by diesel generator is emblematic of the app told us ``! 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Pay customers $ 700 for a comment is safe for people to it. Emblematic of the database based on addresses or other identifiable information on Apples app store registered... Electric charging station powered by diesel generator is emblematic of the electric vehicle movement collects personal information that you provide!. `` is based in Russia, Ukraine and Belarus of Linerock we are a BVI company with development in! Tothe former addressof Victor Sazhin, the address has been changed in order to apply all those fancy effects by. To Amazon and Microsoft to confirm but did not hear back at the time of publication send... Heritage, noting that the app developers published May 11 touting the apps domain was registered to the address... 'We collect certain personal information that you voluntarily provide to us ' information or contact lists and. Protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Play store biometric features or two-factor authentication n't abnormal current or! 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