Ask HN: Does Apple not care about fake apps in the App Store?

5•pentacent_hq•9h ago

I am the author of an open source desktop app (for Linux, macOS, and Windows) that is distributed via our website.

Recently, I have been receiving complaints from people who said they purchased a "pro version" of my app for $34.99 on the Apple App Store (for iOS - even though there is no iOS version of our app).

The App Store listing uses our app icon, the exact app name and has even tacked a (TM)-symbol to it. It seems to be AI-generated slop and I'm not sure if it provides any functionality at all.

I reached out to Apple via their trademark complaint form a week ago. All they seem to have done so far is forward my complaint to the author of the scam listing.

So, here is my question for folks who have been in a similar situation: Does Apple genuinely not care about fake apps in the App Store - or is there a better way to report them?

Comments

PaulHoule•8h ago

No, it's notorious that they don't.

Someone•7h ago

You don’t explicitly say why you think Apple should take action. You don’t say you own that trademark, or that doing that is against the license of your open source app.

Which of these is it?

> I reached out to Apple via their trademark complaint form a week ago. All they seem to have done so far is forward my complaint to the author of the scam listing.

What else would you expect them to do in that period? You told them “App X is breaking trademark Y that I own and I didn’t give them permission to do so”. They can’t take that at face value, so they asked for a rebuttal. A week isn’t too long a period to give them to reply, isn’t it?

pentacent_hq•7h ago

The App Store listing is pretty clearly a scam and the app is clearly pretending to be my app when it isn't. It's also not some small obscure app, it is well-known enough that there there are Wikipedia articles in serveral languages about it.

So Apple should really be taking action on both counts, in my opinion.

Someone•6h ago

> the app is clearly pretending to be my app

OK.

> when it isn’t

Isn’t that what Apple must check and may be doing by “All they seem to have done so far is forward my complaint to the author of the scam listing” (depending on how they worded that)?

Also, all you formally complained about is a trademark infringement. Global trademark law is complex. Maybe somebody else managed to get a trademark with the same name, too? I guess that’s unlikely, but Apple can’t assume that.

Rophlock•14m ago

Unfortunately, it seems they don't have efficient ways to prevent scams like that.

Your case reminded me the ledger fake app that was available there and lead to some millionaire losses.

Even more unfortunate is that the android store also isn't free from this risk =/

Ah, almost forgot, I wish good luck solving this issue!

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Comments

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