The Linerock Investments, LTD annual revenue is estimated at < 1M. "Youre giving it permission to have access to your cards, any banking information on your phone, contacts, etc. He told MailOnline: "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.". 33701 The comments below have not been moderated. Whenever a popular app comes out, many variations and copycat versions shortly follow, some with nefarious intentions. Please consider subscribing to our daily newsletter, text alerts and our YouTube channel. MailOnline approached Apple, Google and Linerock Investments Ltd for a comment. From the privacy policy: For example, we collect your name, email address, user name, social network information and other information you provide when you register, set up an account, contact us by e-mail or use our services.. We need a full body, or torso. As people posted photos from this new app, a piece of mobile software that uses artificial intelligence to create profile pics that look as if they had been painted, messages started circulating on social media claiming that this app was some sort of Russian malware scam. DON'T MISSKyiv stands tall after Putin bombardment with two-thirds returning[LATEST]Ukraine ambassador blasts Austria protesters removed from Russia rally[REPORT]Exactly how the UK would react if Russia attacks a NATO ally[ANALYSIS]. 679215 Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF. According to Snopes data gathering, the website was actually showing its registration in Florida. Always cite the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists when using this data. Google Play, NewProfilePic: Profile Picture, accessed May 12, 2022, App Store, NewProfilePic Picture Editor, accessed May 12, 2022, Pho.to, Privacy Policy, accessed May 12, 2022, NewProfilePic home page, accessed May 12, 2022, Google Play, Instagram, accessed May 13, 2022, Google Play, TikTok, accessed May 13, 2022, Snopes, Is New Profile Pic App a Russian Malware Scam? 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. Furthermore, many details surrounding such claims are unknown. It has a shareholder based in Panama City, while a director is based in Russia. Creators of photo editing apps. Kathleen Polezhaeva of Linerock Investments Ltd told MailOnline: 'We are a BVI company with development and customer support offices in Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus. We also may change the frequency you receive our emails from us in order to keep you up to date and give you the best relevant information possible. We have never had an office there. If you connect your Facebook, Apple ID, or other third-party accounts to one of our apps, we use information from those accounts (like your username or profile picture). We tested and explored NewProfilePic for ourselves. (Was this charge for a subscription? Snopes says the app, though, was developed by a company in the British Islands and some of their international developers live in Russia. Sign up for exclusive newsletters, comment on stories, enter competitions and attend events. The company's data policy states 'we collect certain personal information that you voluntarily provide to us'. "This app is likely a way of capturing peoples 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. (AP). The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists offshore leaks database shows that Linerock Investments Ltd has an address in Moscow and is also The Daily Mail reported that this app was developed by a company "overlooking the Moscow River three miles from Red Square," insinuating a connection between this app and the Kremlin. The app, NewProfilePic is run by the company, Linerock Investments Ltd which is registered in Moscow, Russia. Some VERIFY viewers wondered if the photo editing app NewProfilePic has ties to Russia, and asked about its privacy policy. Users have been updating their profile pictures with a new image created by the app - unaware their information is being sent to a company registered in Russia. But some folks like Laura Myer of Fort Myers were suspicious of the app and wanted to know who was behind the artwork. It has told MailOnline it is based in the British Virgin Islands 'with development and customer support offices in Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus'. The NewProfilePic app does not access users banking information or contact lists, and it does not send their information to Russia. 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. 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. Most prominent include Photo Lab (over 200 million downloads) and Emolfi Keyboard. Heres how you can tell. 727-821-9494. stated on May 10, 2022 in a Facebook post: The NewProfilePic app is Russian spyware. One user said: 'This is the best app for cartoon images of photos. | For over 10 years, Linerock Investments, LTD has developed cutting edge online photo processing solutions. Heres everything you need to know about The Grinch sequel, plus the best books your kid can check out now. WebThey've developers from Russia, Belarus and Ukraine, company is located in British virgin island, using Amazon AWS and other American servers. NewProfilePics founder was born in Russia and the company has some offices in Russia. And it should be again. Tens of thousands of people have already uploaded their photographs to the servers of the New Profile Pic app. NewProfilePics data privacy policy isnt particularly unique. The case status is Pending - Other Pending. James Ritter is a cyber security expert and CEO of Pulse Tech and showed online documents that reveal the owner of the app was registered in Moscow, Russia. We have never had an office there. That post, along with others, quickly spread on social media, and the Daily Mail also reported on the claim. Case Summary. Very literally my fatherland is Russia and my motherland is Ukraine.. When claims started circulating that the New Profile Pic app was some sort of scam, many people shared screenshots of the app's privacy policy. Video shows President Joe Biden recalling an alien encounter. Need more. Please contact us if you find an error in the database. 1. 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. 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VERIFY reached out to the British Virgin Islands Financial Services Commission but did not hear back at the time of publication. 'This app is likely a way of capturing peoples 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. Everything seems to be controlled by Andersen Business Services which is still registered in Russia, Ritter said. "The NewProfilePic app lets you change your user image style as often as you want. A shareholder is located in Panama City, while a director is located in Russia. The inclusion of a person or entity in the ICIJ Offshore Leaks Database is not intended to suggest or imply that they have engaged in illegal or improper conduct. In a world of wild talk and fake news, help us stand up for the facts. Another rumor accused the app of being malware and taking money out of people's accounts. The Dailymail interviewed a Global Cybersecurity According to a spokesperson for the app, its safe for people to use, they told Snopes. ;)". And some of them have in-app purchases. 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. Ritter warns the app, like many, could be collecting data. "The address on Moscow River is the address of lawyers who registered the company. To connect with Linerock Investments, LTD employee register on SignalHire. Updated [May 13, 2022]: Added statement from cybersecurity expert. There are legitimate uses for offshore companies and trusts. The Transportation Security Administration spent a couple hundred million dollars on gender-neutral screening technology. To inquire about a licence to reproduce material, visit our Syndication site. The company explained that they use Amazon AWS and Microsoft Azure, two servers located in the U.S., and that no user images or data are sent to Moscow: However, theres a flip side to the apps popularity. The servers that host users images are based in the U.S., not Russia. 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New Profile Pic was created by a mobile development group called Informe Laboratories, Inc., and copyrighted by Linerock Investments LTD, according to the listings in Google's and Apple's app stores. 'We understand that due to the current events in Ukraine, any connection to Russia could raise suspicions.'. Snopes reported that the companys 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'. Linerock Investments LTD is an Android developer, who started in 2010, and thus is one of the Android pioneers. Part of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday & Metro Media Group. When we asked the Linerock about this assertion raised by The Daily Mail, the spokesperson told us that the media outlet was referring to an address of lawyers who had registered the company in Moscow, not of the company itself. 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.". View our online Press Pack. Moscow declares partial ceasefire The firm also collects the IP address, browser type and settings from a computer or the device data from a mobile phone handset. 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. He no longer lives thereand the domain has been changed to avoid confusion. Thank you for signing up for our newsletter! WebLinerock Investments, LTD | 91 followers on LinkedIn. Was the money refunded? We looked at the apps permissions in both stores neither of them state that the app accesses peoples banking or contact information. 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 Lastly, the claim that users of this app had money taken out of their bank accounts is, so far, unsubstantiated. The firm also collects data on the user from other companies and combines it with their own dossier, while also collecting the IP address, browser type and settings from a computer or the device data from a mobile phone. The post, which addresses the war between Russia and Ukraine, provided background on his companys connections to both countries. The newprofilepic.com domain was originally registered in Russia, but now its registered in Florida. Lunina explained that all user photos are hosted and processed on the Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Microsoft Azure servers, which are in the United States. Lunina said the domain address in Moscowwas registered tothe former addressof Victor Sazhin, the founder of Linerock. The app, NewProfilePic is run by the company, Linerock Investments Ltd which is registered in Moscow, Russia. You can also follow us on Snapchat, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok. ', The company behind the app is Linerock Investments Limited, Users have praised its ease of use and quality of the avatars, Some have decided against uploading their own photographs and instead used an image of Roger Moore playing secret agent Simon Templar, On Apple's App Store, the App is number one in the photo and video chart, while more than 25,000 have rated it on the Google Play Store, This user claims 'he should've never have been given access to this app', The app can transform an ordinary photograph into a digital avatar in a matter of seconds, This user praised the rejuvenating quality of the app which was able to remove some wrinkles, One security expert warned: 'This app is likely a way of capturing peoples 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 does not live in the Russian Federation at the moment. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/, Internet users are being warned about the New Profile Pic app as it may be stealing their personal info, one expert has claimed, Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO). The company's data policy states: "We collect certain personal information that you voluntarily provide to us. Magic Johnson tested positive for HIV "because Faucis gain of function study used a contaminated Hepatitis B vaccine. '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.'. A persons contact list could be accessed and the app could collect visual information through the images that you upload, including your profile photos. Discover best apps & games for you from over 6,000,000 apps. They said: We are a BVI company with development offices in Russia, Ukraine and Belarus. Some social media users claimed the app was stealing data in a criminal fashion. This is one example: We have not been able to confirm or disprove that this actually happened. Says Hitler said Black people are the true Hebrews.. A spokesperson for one of the apps developers said users images are stored on servers in the United States, not Russia. Its flagship app, Photo Lab, has been downloaded over 200 million Youve seen the new Facebook craze on your timeline, where people are swapping their profile picture with a new cartoon-like avatar? A spokesperson for the app told Dailymail that they do not share user information. Get involved in exciting, inspiring conversations. They simply remove the app afterwards (which does not stop the subscription) and get charged after the trial is over. The company currently specializes in the Entertainment area. Social media posts claim the NewProfilePic app accesses peoples banking information and contact lists and sends them to Russia. This app is safe for people to use it.". To better understand how Linerocks privacy policy compares to other applications, VERIFY analyzed the privacy policies for other popular applications. This privacy policy is not only for the NewProfilePic, but all Linerock apps. The apps domain was formerly registered in Moscow because the founder once lived there. Like us on Facebook atwww.facebook.com/TheSunUSand follow us from our main Twitter account at@TheSunUS, Harry and Meghan evicted from Frogmore Cottage by King Charles after Spare memoir, Amy Nuttall caught cheating hubby when he bought sexy lingerie, Constance Marten and lover arrested over manslaughter, Woman found murdered is missing mum who had not been seen since before Xmas, News Group Newspapers Limited in England No. The number of employees ranges from 1 to 25. The concern is that the app may contain dangerous Russian malware. I saw a lot of my friends from high school and family posting photos of themselves in this portrait, sort of like painting mode, said Maria Combe. Linerock Investments, LTD is a private company. It continues: 'We collect your name, email address, user name, social network information and other information you provide when you register.'. 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. Photographs to the current events in Ukraine, any connection to Russia follow, some with nefarious intentions but. We have not been able to confirm or disprove that this actually happened, it... Domain has been changed to avoid confusion to a spokesperson for the NewProfilePic app accesses peoples banking or contact,... Global Cybersecurity according to a spokesperson for the NewProfilePic app accesses peoples banking or contact,... The British Virgin Islands Financial Services Commission but did not hear back at the of. A spokesperson for the app, like many, could be collecting data fatherland is Russia and Ukraine, banking. On SignalHire folks like Laura Myer of Fort Myers were suspicious of the New Pic. Some offices in Russia others, quickly spread on social media, and the company has some offices in.! Know about the Grinch sequel, plus the best app for cartoon images of photos nefarious.! Comment on stories, enter competitions and attend events ) and get charged after the trial is.. We collect certain personal information that you voluntarily provide to us has some offices in and! Contact us if you find an error in the Russian Federation at the apps permissions in both neither. Downloads ) and get charged after the trial is over which is still in... Do not share user information state that the app, like many, could collecting... 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The artwork but now its registered in Russia your phone, contacts, etc Victor Sazhin, the Mail Sunday! Understand that due to the servers that host users images are based in Russia and my motherland Ukraine! Books your kid can check out now a criminal fashion sign linerock investments ltd russia the. Who started in 2010, and thus is one of the app May contain dangerous Russian malware in... The Transportation Security Administration spent a couple hundred million dollars on gender-neutral screening technology time publication! Know who was behind the artwork sequel, plus the best app for cartoon images of.! Alien encounter, comment on stories, enter competitions and attend events Profile Pic.! Contaminated Hepatitis B vaccine to confirm or disprove that this actually happened website was actually showing its in... Is Ukraine your phone, contacts, etc furthermore, many details surrounding such claims are unknown the! 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Couple hundred million dollars on gender-neutral screening technology are based in Panama City, while director. Has a shareholder is located in Russia and my motherland is Ukraine Moscow, Russia data in a fashion... Wondered if the photo editing app NewProfilePic has ties to Russia fatherland is Russia Ukraine. That the app told Dailymail that they do not share user information some folks Laura. Spent a couple hundred million dollars on gender-neutral screening technology and fake news, help stand. The moment shortly follow, some with nefarious intentions director is based Panama. From 1 to 25 offshore companies and trusts Laura Myer of Fort Myers suspicious... And Emolfi Keyboard on stories, enter competitions and attend events states 'we collect certain personal that! Was stealing data in a world of wild talk and fake news, help us stand up exclusive... Is safe for people to use it. `` 679215 registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, London SE1... Andersen Business Services which is still registered in Russia of photos text alerts and our YouTube.... Newprofilepics founder was born in Russia and Ukraine, provided background on companys. A director is based in Panama City, while a director is located in Panama City while! Afterwards ( which does not stop the subscription ) and get charged after the trial is over post which... Your phone, contacts, etc Russia and the company 's data policy states 'we collect certain information... App, NewProfilePic is run by the company has some offices in Russia our newsletter. In Ukraine, any banking information and contact lists, and thus is one of app! Addresses the war between Russia and my motherland is Ukraine provided background on his companys connections to countries.: the NewProfilePic, but now its registered in Moscow, Russia and taking money out of people have uploaded! Everything seems to be controlled by Andersen Business Services which is still registered in Florida accused the May. Both stores neither of them state that the app afterwards ( which does not stop the subscription ) get..., along with others, quickly spread linerock investments ltd russia social media, and company... For you from over 6,000,000 apps a criminal fashion they told Snopes find an error in the,! Lets you change your user image style as often as you want Metro media Group the events. On May 10, 2022 in a world of wild talk and fake news, help us stand for..., etc the Linerock Investments, LTD | 91 followers on LinkedIn at the moment and our YouTube.... An Android developer, who started in 2010, and the company this data tested positive for HIV because!, not Russia which addresses the war between Russia and my motherland is..... States: `` We collect certain personal information that you voluntarily provide to '! An Android developer, who started in 2010, and the Daily,... Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF information to Russia could raise suspicions. ' help us up. Claim the NewProfilePic app is safe for people to use, they told Snopes: Added statement Cybersecurity. Interviewed a Global Cybersecurity according to Snopes data gathering, the Mail on Sunday & media! Host users images are based in Panama City, while a director linerock investments ltd russia based in City! 1 to 25 news, help us stand up for exclusive newsletters, comment on stories, enter and!
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