When we look deeper, a similar pattern emerges. There are only 33 reviews, averaging just 2.0 stars.☠️
Here’s what people are actually saying about this app:
As if that wasn’t enough, the same developer has:
- a $120/year “QR Code Reader ®” app (also 4.5 stars)
- a $144/year “Printer App for AirPrint” app (also 4.5 stars)
- a $144/year “PDF Editor ®“ app (also 4.5 stars)
- and many more apps with the same pattern…
As any developer will tell you, good ratings are VITAL for a business. They bring more downloads, thus more revenue.
This developer has so far grossed over $4,500,000!
😱💸
Out of that, Apple has already pocketed more than a MILLION dollars in commissions, by simply neglecting to police fake ratings or listen to these complaints - while ALSO charging for these Search Ads!
So how does this happen, exactly?🤔
Shady developers simply BUY fake ratings for their apps.
That’s it. That's the fuel that virtually all scams need, in order to sustain themselves.
Just open this Google search and you will find HUNDREDS of different “companies” to buy ratings from: google.com/search?q=buy+a…
Apple often lets scams stay up for months, even YEARS.
And if/when they take them down, scammers just open a new developer account.
Even worse, Apple - the company that claims to put users first - does NOT automatically refund the users who were scammed!
Why don’t they??🤔
Unless they’re on the hook for scam revenue or have competing app stores, Apple is disincentivized from doing much about it.
Sure, some users might spend less after being repeatedly scammed, but the pool of new and unsuspecting users is enormous, almost never-ending.
This has been happening for years, and I’ve personally found HUNDREDS of scams ever since I realized this was negatively affecting my own business - and still is!
This @AppStore app pretends to be a silly platformer game for children 4+, but if I set my VPN to Turkey and relaunch it becomes an online casino that doesn’t even use Apple’s IAP.
🤯
The developer uses shady ads to attract unsuspecting users, pretending the app was featured on CNN Turk.
Once people follow the ad, they are taken to this App Store page. Notice the abundance of coins and the “Install and win” copy.
In order to pass App Review the app claims to be “a fun running game”, and in the US works like an extremely basic and very poorly designed kids game.
WARNING: Another top-grossing VPN scam is on the @AppStore
Stay clear! 🚨
How to spot this $5M/year scam in 5 minutes flat: 👇
The app’s screenshots are pretty standard, while the description is riddled with typos - and almost feels like it’s *trying* to be a big unreadable wall of text:
The app has 4 stars with hundreds of ratings, and the featured review by “Corianna Patience” is totally singing its praises: