A developer is exposing scam lookalike apps that are flourishing on the App Store, fueled by lax enforcement and fake reviews, after his own app was targeted
what to avoid Philip Elmer-DeWitt / Philip Elmer‑DeWitt : Apple cracks down, piecemeal, on scam apps Msmash / Slashdot : Developer Exposes Multiple Scam Apps on the App Store, Some Bringing in Millions of Dollars in Revenue Tweets: Kosta Eleftheriou / @keleftheriou : Up to now, I've been in the “Apple *wants* to do the right thing” camp. My viewpoint is starting to change. How to spot a $5M/year scam on the @AppStore, in 5 minutes flat:👇 Kosta Eleftheriou / @keleftheriou : While the “KeyWatch” $300k/month scam was removed, Apple did *not* take down their developer account. Not only that, but their other scam, “GPS Speedometer”, remains on the App Store stealing $200k/month from unsuspecting people, with $416/year subscriptions.😱 UNREAL! https://twitter.com/... Kosta Eleftheriou / @keleftheriou : So once again, Apple took down another app I exposed but is cool with the developer running their other, even *more* profitable scam. I'm speechless. Below you see “Live Wallpaper Z”, allowed to keep stealing $40k/month from unsuspecting people. How do I know?👇 https://twitter.com/... Marco Arment / @marcoarment : Apple could prevent SO MANY App Store misleading-subscription scams if they eliminated weekly billing as an option. The shortest subscription interval should be monthly, since that's how most consumers think about most ongoing costs. (That's why the weekly subs mislead so many!) @dhh : The subscription scam apps that Apple allow in the App Store really are bananas. While they're busy hunting legitimate developers down for their pound of flesh, they're letting these hyaenas strive on the savannah unopposed. https://twitter.com/... @ohmdee : Remember when Apple fans would smugly proclaim that the App Store doesn't have the same issues as Google Play? https://twitter.com/... David Barnard / @drbarnard : Here's another stab at redesigning the “buy sheet” using the current design language. Any designers out there want to take a stab at a complete redo? (after, then before) https://twitter.com/... WatchChat / @watchchatinfo : Apple refuses to take down two scam apps that destroy my honest business via fake ratings and false marketing claims. I have hard proof yet Apple ignores my numerous reports. #Apple, please do something. This is my story. #AppStore #Appocalypse #Scams https://alexwatchchat.medium.com/ ... David Barnard / @drbarnard : “the issues are systemic, Eleftheriou says, and nothing short of an overhaul to how the App Store ranks software, measures trustworthiness, and roots out bad actors will remedy the issue” https://twitter.com/... Kosta Eleftheriou / @keleftheriou : The App Store has a *massive* fake ratings problem👇 You: an honest developer, working hard for a 4.5 star rating. Your competitor: a $12M App Store scam, undetected for years. 1/🧵 David Barnard / @drbarnard : It's not just developers complaining on Twitter or a small problem that doesn't impact many customers (as Apple might try to excuse it). Kosta is working to expose the scale of what's going on and just how inept Apple has been combatting it. Gonna be 🔥🔥🔥🔥 🔥 https://twitter.com/... Kosta Eleftheriou / @keleftheriou : Yet another hard-working developer ready to give up due to Apple's inaction on these scams. Apple, do something! https://twitter.com/... Seth Sandler / @sethsandler : Happy to see some of this being published. Great job @keleftheriou. https://www.theverge.com/... David Barnard / @drbarnard : There are plenty of things I disagree with @dhh on about Apple and the App Store. But he sure knows how to get under their skin, and I think we're 100% aligned on Apple not taking responsibility for consumer harm, so bring it on. 👏🏻 https://twitter.com/... @dhh : “Apple does not actively police unless it's an issue that gains the attention of the media or involves one of Apple's current rivals like Facebook or Fortnite maker Epic Games” https://www.theverge.com/... @dhh : “Apple's strictness in some areas and hands off approach in others has disproportionately rewarded bad actors while stifling conscientious developers”, Apple was made aware of these scams years ago, and did nothing. That's negligent and complicit. If not aiding and abetting. https://twitter.com/... @dhh : Here's a guide to spotting these actual scam accounts. That happily use the Apple in-app payment system to perpetrate their business. Maybe this is where Apple should focus its energy? https://twitter.com/... @dhh : “According to Appfigures data, KeyWatch was generating $2 million a year through its App Store scam”, so Apple was keeping upwards of $600,000/year from this scam? Have they refunded the defrauded customers? https://9to5mac.com/... @gernot : Good story about how bad @Apple is at curating the AppStore. I see a point in having a store with a gatekeeper, but that comes with a big responsibility. If @Appstore does not live up to that, what remains is well deserved Antitrust problems. https://9to5mac.com/... @iphoneincanada : Scam iOS Apps Generating Millions of Dollars in Revenue Exposed https://www.iphoneincanada.ca/ ... Karissa Bell / @karissabe : Scammy apps like the one described here have been an issue for YEARS yet Apple is never quite able to get ahead of these scam developers (who make millions off junk apps) for *some reason* https://9to5mac.com/... Kosta Eleftheriou / @keleftheriou : The scheme is pretty simple. Launch the app, quickly get *hundreds* of fake ratings per day, and establish a good-and-hard-to-move overall rating. Then no fake ratings for a while, until they're needed again. https://twitter.com/... David Barnard / @drbarnard : 1/ App Store scammers have zero incentive to find another line of work or build honest apps if Apple doesn't even enforce the rules. Not only did they fail to kick this developer out after removing multiple scam apps, they keep letting developers right back into the program. https://twitter.com/... Steve Streeting / @stevestreeting : Youch. Honest devs bite their nails every damn time waiting to see whether their next patch is thrown out by the review process for some tiny sub-sub-paragraph arbitrary rule violation, other asshole devs are left to make money hand over fist with outright scams. https://twitter.com/... Kosta Eleftheriou / @keleftheriou : Apple *unequivocally* states: “If you attempt to cheat the system (for example, [...], manipulate ratings or App Store discovery) your apps will be removed from the store and you will be expelled from the Developer Program.” Also @Apple, after confirming rating manipulation: https://twitter.com/... Kosta Eleftheriou / @keleftheriou : UPDATE: Apple has now taken the entire account down. Thank you, Twitter, for saving innocent people *millions* of dollars - again. More to come. https://twitter.com/... David Barnard / @drbarnard : Apple should require developers of subscription apps to include a Manage Subscription button in the app (and that it not be buried). Users subscribe inside apps, so that's the obvious place to look for an unsubscribe button. Most conscientious developers already include one. https://twitter.com/... Chance Miller / @chancehmiller : The formula used by these applications is so simple. Props to @keleftheriou for continuing to expose them, but it's time for Apple to step in and solve the problem. https://twitter.com/... Charles Arthur / @charlesarthur : Apple should just hire Kosta to kill scam apps and have done with it. He'd probably put himself out of a job in a month flat. https://twitter.com/...
Up to now, I've been in the “Apple *wants* to do the right thing” camp. My viewpoint is starting to change. How to spot a $5M/year scam on the @AppStore, in 5 minutes flat:👇
While the “KeyWatch” $300k/month scam was removed, Apple did *not* take down their developer account. Not only that, but their other scam, “GPS Speedometer”, remains on the App Store stealing $200k/month from unsuspecting people, with $416/year subscriptions.😱 UNREAL! https://twi…
So once again, Apple took down another app I exposed but is cool with the developer running their other, even *more* profitable scam. I'm speechless. Below you see “Live Wallpaper Z”, allowed to keep stealing $40k/month from unsuspecting people. How do I know?👇 https://twitter.co…
Apple could prevent SO MANY App Store misleading-subscription scams if they eliminated weekly billing as an option. The shortest subscription interval should be monthly, since that's how most consumers think about most ongoing costs. (That's why the weekly subs mislead so many!)
The subscription scam apps that Apple allow in the App Store really are bananas. While they're busy hunting legitimate developers down for their pound of flesh, they're letting these hyaenas strive on the savannah unopposed. https://twitter.com/...
Here's another stab at redesigning the “buy sheet” using the current design language. Any designers out there want to take a stab at a complete redo? (after, then before) https://twitter.com/...
Apple refuses to take down two scam apps that destroy my honest business via fake ratings and false marketing claims. I have hard proof yet Apple ignores my numerous reports. #Apple, please do something. This is my story. #AppStore #Appocalypse #Scams https://alexwatchchat.medium…
“Apple does not actively police unless it's an issue that gains the attention of the media or involves one of Apple's current rivals like Facebook or Fortnite maker Epic Games” https://www.theverge.com/...
“the issues are systemic, Eleftheriou says, and nothing short of an overhaul to how the App Store ranks software, measures trustworthiness, and roots out bad actors will remedy the issue” https://twitter.com/...
The App Store has a *massive* fake ratings problem👇 You: an honest developer, working hard for a 4.5 star rating. Your competitor: a $12M App Store scam, undetected for years. 1/🧵
There are plenty of things I disagree with @dhh on about Apple and the App Store. But he sure knows how to get under their skin, and I think we're 100% aligned on Apple not taking responsibility for consumer harm, so bring it on. 👏🏻 https://twitter.com/...
It's not just developers complaining on Twitter or a small problem that doesn't impact many customers (as Apple might try to excuse it). Kosta is working to expose the scale of what's going on and just how inept Apple has been combatting it. Gonna be 🔥🔥🔥🔥 🔥 https://twitter.com/..…
“Apple's strictness in some areas and hands off approach in others has disproportionately rewarded bad actors while stifling conscientious developers”, Apple was made aware of these scams years ago, and did nothing. That's negligent and complicit. If not aiding and abetting. http…
Here's a guide to spotting these actual scam accounts. That happily use the Apple in-app payment system to perpetrate their business. Maybe this is where Apple should focus its energy? https://twitter.com/...
“According to Appfigures data, KeyWatch was generating $2 million a year through its App Store scam”, so Apple was keeping upwards of $600,000/year from this scam? Have they refunded the defrauded customers? https://9to5mac.com/...
Good story about how bad @Apple is at curating the AppStore. I see a point in having a store with a gatekeeper, but that comes with a big responsibility. If @Appstore does not live up to that, what remains is well deserved Antitrust problems. https://9to5mac.com/...
Scammy apps like the one described here have been an issue for YEARS yet Apple is never quite able to get ahead of these scam developers (who make millions off junk apps) for *some reason* https://9to5mac.com/...
The scheme is pretty simple. Launch the app, quickly get *hundreds* of fake ratings per day, and establish a good-and-hard-to-move overall rating. Then no fake ratings for a while, until they're needed again. https://twitter.com/...
1/ App Store scammers have zero incentive to find another line of work or build honest apps if Apple doesn't even enforce the rules. Not only did they fail to kick this developer out after removing multiple scam apps, they keep letting developers right back into the program. http…
Youch. Honest devs bite their nails every damn time waiting to see whether their next patch is thrown out by the review process for some tiny sub-sub-paragraph arbitrary rule violation, other asshole devs are left to make money hand over fist with outright scams. https://twitter.…
Apple *unequivocally* states: “If you attempt to cheat the system (for example, [...], manipulate ratings or App Store discovery) your apps will be removed from the store and you will be expelled from the Developer Program.” Also @Apple, after confirming rating manipulation: http…
UPDATE: Apple has now taken the entire account down. Thank you, Twitter, for saving innocent people *millions* of dollars - again. More to come. https://twitter.com/...
Apple should require developers of subscription apps to include a Manage Subscription button in the app (and that it not be buried). Users subscribe inside apps, so that's the obvious place to look for an unsubscribe button. Most conscientious developers already include one. http…
The formula used by these applications is so simple. Props to @keleftheriou for continuing to expose them, but it's time for Apple to step in and solve the problem. https://twitter.com/...
This seriously shouldn't be hard. Every app with more than say $10k/year in IAP revenue - which is not that many! - gets looked at 2x year by someone who's specifically charged with detecting scams; if they flag it then it goes to a more detailed review by sb with authority. http…