. >> reporter: nicole barker likes shopping through her apps but didn't realize they could put her identity at risk. >> it's really scary. you trust those brands when you see them and you just accept or trust that that's who you think you're dealing with. >> reporter: but a company that creates many of those apps for major retailers found some shopping apps for names like dillard's, payless, even christian dior and jimmy choo, weren't real. >> we found there were hundreds >> reporter: chris mason from branding brand. >> if you take those apps down and you get rid of that provider, you'll find them show up in a different form of a new name, new credentials. for every one you take down there's two that come up. >> it's collecting a lot of data. >> reporter: gary milevsky with cyber security firm snoop wall says it's all about criminals getting hold of your private information. >> some of these apps, these counterfeit apps, are so good they give you a complete shopping cart experience. everything through the "congratulations, here's your order and then you never get the goods. >> reporter: but