
Don’t Be Fooled: The Mac App Store Is Full of Scams - adamnemecek
http://www.howtogeek.com/281849/dont-be-fooled-the-mac-app-store-is-full-of-scams/#
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heisenbit
While I have not been fooled by those apps I have stumbled upon them when
searching for the genuine thing. The problem is real.

There seems discrepancy the way Apple treated the Dash developer and the way
it generally polices the marketplace. I don't want to go back to that
discussion as I believe Apple has to defend the integrity of the marketplace.
But very uneven enforcement leaves Apple not only open to accusations of
unfairness but all sorts of legal trouble.

The article focus on misleading advertisements for products (with a 30% cut
for Apple). The fact that they set the rules and enforce them (sometimes)
makes it difficult to claim this is none of their business. It seems that the
neglect of the Mac App store has now reached a point where one could make a
reasonable case for trade mark infringement. Maybe there would be one if
Microsoft or Adobe were at war with Apple.

Apple, this problem is solvable. Improve the App store deliverability. It is
overdue. Clean out dead apps. Enforce proper keywords. It "only" takes
leadership (a different one?) and enough resources to take a short look at
what you sell. There is no shame in falling behind Microsoft if you wake up
and begin to catch up.

~~~
addicted
I don't understand why Apple cannot have a verified check against some App
Store apps much like how Twitter has them for user profiles.

I also think the App Store is suffering because Apple can't seem to decide
whether the App Store should be a convenient technology that makes it easy for
users to find, install and uninstall software (I.e. a macOS feature) or
whether it should be a storefront. The naming and current policies, including
the 30% cut strongly seem to suggest the latter, but I suspect Apple would be
better served if they treated it as the former, and didn't look st it as a
profit source.

~~~
majewsky
> Apple [does not] have a verified check against some App Store apps much like
> how Twitter has them for user profiles

They don't? Google Play certainly has verified developers, under the name "Top
Developer". See for example here:
[https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.twitter.an...](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.twitter.android)

The documentation states that "top developers" are "selected by Google Play
team": [https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-
developer/answ...](https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-
developer/answer/1295940?hl=en)

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pornel
On a couple of occasions I've found broken rip-offs of my applications in the
App Store, and Apple was very slow to remove them. It took 6 months on
average.

In my case the scammers have learned how to stall the process — at each stage
they didn't respond to anything until the very last deadline, and then lied
and lied as long as they could (to absurd levels — in one case my name was in
credits.rtf in their app bundle, and they still said it's 100% their app).

When the app is removed Apple doesn't issue refunds, and I wouldn't be
surprised if the seller kept the money. So 6 months of sales per obvious,
immediately reported scam is still a good business.

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alxlu
The article claims: 'Over the summer at least one Mac App Store app installed
malware onto users’ Macs.'

But then links to [http://fortune.com/2016/07/06/mac-malware-backdoor-
app/](http://fortune.com/2016/07/06/mac-malware-backdoor-app/) which seems to
be about something called "EasyDoc Converter" which was stated to not have
been in Mac App Store...

'The good news is that the malware, dubbed “Backdoor.MAC.Eleanor” by the
researchers, is not available in Apple’s AAPL 0.50% official App Store.
Instead, the app has been advertised for download on third-party sites; for
instance, a copy was available on the site MacUpdate until it was removed on
Tuesday.'

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jrnichols
Apple has been going through and removing old/unused apps from the App Store
more recently, fortunately. I agree it isn't fast enough and that they will
hopefully do more about it.

[https://techcrunch.com/2016/09/01/apple-is-going-to-
remove-a...](https://techcrunch.com/2016/09/01/apple-is-going-to-remove-
abandoned-apps-from-the-app-store/)

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boznz
Can you even use an i-thing without an iTunes account and credit card?

Just asking I refused a work iPhone 4 way back when because it wouldn't let me
do anything without one.

~~~
BoorishBears
You can skip inputting payment information when you set it up with an iTunes
account.

~~~
majewsky
This. Otherwise a lot of Germans wouldn't be able to use Apple devices. Credit
cards are not very common here, but you can purchase iTunes prepaid cards at
many chain stores.

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joesmo
Apple reviews every single app that makes it to the store. Does the author
really think this is not intentional?

