GoKawiilJeff Johnson, developer of the popular StopTheMadness Safari extension, has said that “obvious” App Store ratings fraud is going undetected by Apple despite the company’s claims to review listings.
He said that although he doesn’t go proactively looking for App Store fraud, he does encounter it rather frequently, citing the latest example …
The App Store as ‘a safe and trusted place’
Apple has aggressively resisted every antitrust move involving third-party app stores or sideloaded apps for iPhones, only relenting when forced to do so by law. Even then, it continues to fight its corner.
The company claims it isn’t motivated by money, but rather a desire to protect iPhone users from malware. Last year, for example, the company claims to have prevented over $9 billion in fraudulent transactions.
Since launching in 2008, the App Store has been a safe and trusted place for users and a vibrant marketplace for developers to grow their businesses around the world. In the last five years, the App Store has protected users by preventing over $9 billion in fraudulent transactions, including over $2 billion in 2024 alone, according to Apple’s annual App Store fraud analysis.
A number of developers, however, have taken issue with claims that the App Store is a safe place, pointing to a number of multi-million dollar scams. Just last month, three customers sued Apple after a fake wallet app wiped out their Bitcoin.
App Store ratings fraud
App Store ratings fraud has long been a major problem, with companies in China renting out iPhone farms in order to download apps and give them five-star ratings.
Developer Jeff Johnson, best known for his StopTheMadness Safari extension, pointed to the latest example of what he describes as “pervasive and obvious” review fraud in App Store listings. He points to TabControl Extension as the latest example.
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