Warning: paid $60 for a 'VPN' app on the app store and it was just a proxy that sold my data
Saw an ad for a VPN called SecureShield Pro or something, 4.9 stars, $60 for a year. Installed it on my phone and my laptop, used it for 3 months, then got a weird email from a marketing list I never signed up for. Turns out the app was just a basic proxy with no encryption, and their privacy policy literally said they sell browsing logs. Cancelled my card and moved everything to a real VPN. Did anyone else fall for one of these fake VPN apps, and how do you vet them now?
Mullvad and IVPN publish audits and don't even ask for your email, so those are my go-tos. As for vetting, I check who owns the company and look for a no-logs audit from a real firm, not just a privacy policy that says nice things.