Review scam leads to removal of over 1000 apps from App Store
Apple has taken action against app developer Molinker over alleged review fraud, resulting in the removal of all 1,000 of the company's apps.
Thanks to the detective work of one intrepid app store enthusiast, Molinker - developer of close to one percent of all the apps available on the App Store - has been banned from the App Store and all of its apps have been removed.
The issue was first brought to light by photo blog iPhoneography in a post highlighting the concerns of one of its regular readers. Reader SCW had concluded that app developer Molinker had been using its promo codes to write fake 5-star reviews of many of its apps. Each review shared the same short, disjointed style and the reviewers had only written reviews for other Molinker apps.
In a letter to Apple executive Phil Schiller, SCW laid out the case:
I would like to highly suggest to take a deep look into not only the 'reviewers' but I will almost bet that all of these users redeemed 'Promo Codes' for these apps in order to only access the US app store & publish these endless slew of fake postings. All to increase the developers ratings, status, sales & ultimately have a pay-off when potential customers see such high ratings & then just buy the apps.
After sending the email, Phil Schiller responded that Apple would look into the issue. On Sunday, both SCW and iPhoneography received word from Schiller confirming "Yes, this developer's apps have been removed from the App Store and their ratings no long appear either."
Molinker was a particularly prolific app developer, with over 1,000 apps appearing in the store. The great majority of its apps dealt with photography, travel, and public transportation. AppFreak was able to contact Molinker about the issue and received the following response:
We got email from Apple yesterday which told us our contract is changed to pending status.
Actually we do not know what's wrong so far. We had contacted Apple for such sudden changes, hope we can get quick response and actions from Apple.
As of Monday night, Molinker's website had no mention of what had transpired.
Thanks to the detective work of one intrepid app store enthusiast, Molinker - developer of close to one percent of all the apps available on the App Store - has been banned from the App Store and all of its apps have been removed.
The issue was first brought to light by photo blog iPhoneography in a post highlighting the concerns of one of its regular readers. Reader SCW had concluded that app developer Molinker had been using its promo codes to write fake 5-star reviews of many of its apps. Each review shared the same short, disjointed style and the reviewers had only written reviews for other Molinker apps.
In a letter to Apple executive Phil Schiller, SCW laid out the case:
I would like to highly suggest to take a deep look into not only the 'reviewers' but I will almost bet that all of these users redeemed 'Promo Codes' for these apps in order to only access the US app store & publish these endless slew of fake postings. All to increase the developers ratings, status, sales & ultimately have a pay-off when potential customers see such high ratings & then just buy the apps.
After sending the email, Phil Schiller responded that Apple would look into the issue. On Sunday, both SCW and iPhoneography received word from Schiller confirming "Yes, this developer's apps have been removed from the App Store and their ratings no long appear either."
Molinker was a particularly prolific app developer, with over 1,000 apps appearing in the store. The great majority of its apps dealt with photography, travel, and public transportation. AppFreak was able to contact Molinker about the issue and received the following response:
We got email from Apple yesterday which told us our contract is changed to pending status.
Actually we do not know what's wrong so far. We had contacted Apple for such sudden changes, hope we can get quick response and actions from Apple.
As of Monday night, Molinker's website had no mention of what had transpired.
Comments
What a scam! What a shame!
What a scam! What a shame!
Pity for Apple, too. 1% of the App Store is no small deal.
Pity for Apple, too. 1% of the App Store is no small deal.
If they were the sort of developers who fraudulently write star reviews for their own apps, their apps may not have been of much value anyway.
To write such a great number of apps within the relatively short span of time that the iPhone has existed would seem to preclude spending a large amount of time on any particular one of those apps.
The only part about this that is a shame is that it needed to be pointed out to Apple. I'm glad they acted when it was brought to light.
And just how do you think that most thieves get caught?
Apple using statistical methods could easily monitor the ratings for anomalies if they chose to do so.
If Apple Chooses to be the monitoring king of all that is mobile.
They need to get their act together, because they just look foolish with this type of BS going on.
This just proves that Apple doesn't have the App Store under control.
Proof positive nothing works!
If Apple Chooses to be the monitoring king of all that is mobile.
I say, I do like Apple monitors!
They need to get their act together, because they just look foolish with this type of BS going on.
Oh, those fools!
Good for Apple on this one, though like the previous poster, I wonder if we would be reading this story had someone not brought it to Apple's ''attention''.. Also interested in wether any of the apps removed were particularly popular, or had made it to the top listing.
The last time Apple banned an undue number of apps I don’t think they were informed by a customer, though the apps did seem more “spammy” in nature. It was the Indian company Perfect Acumen with 943 applications that were nixed.
Apple using statistical methods could easily monitor the ratings for anomalies if they chose to do so.
That sounds like a great idea.
This just proves that Apple doesn't have the App Store under control.
If Apple Chooses to be the monitoring king of all that is mobile.
They need to get their act together, because they just look foolish with this type of BS going on.
Sheesh! Apple deletes these apps and you cry foul that the developers were able to fine a loop hole in a system that is still new and that has grown well beyond anyone’s expectations. I’m sure you’ll argue at the other extreme once this forum gets an article about the Android Marketplace growing faster than Apple’s App Store, totaling ignoring that this policing is making sure the apps aren’t spams, stealing your user data and riddled with viruses.
Integrity is important! Would eBay remove a shill a seller? (Maybe for a few days)
It's nearly impossible to shill on ebay since they do not reveal the maximum bid to the seller. The only way would be for the shiller to withdraw the bid that goes over the maximum. I would encourage everyone to report that behavior even if it wasn't their high bid getting revealed.
If bidders are getting into bidding wars and driving the price past that of new items, or not comparing prices on amazon (or even straight from the manufacturer is cheaper sometimes), that's not sellers' (or ebay's) fault.
Pity for Apple, too. 1% of the App Store is no small deal.
The 99,000 app store... I'm sure that the app store has 1000 apps in the review process agonizing over the approval process as I type. \
There is a word maybe you don't know: FRAUD.
1. Wrongful or criminal depiction intended to result in financial gain.
2. A person or thing intended to deceive others, typically by unjustifiably claiming or being credited with accomplishments or qualities.
It's not just a few harmless lies. Due to money being involved, it becomes more serious, with possibility of fines and jail time.
It's nearly impossible to shill on ebay since they do not reveal the maximum bid to the seller. The only way would be for the shiller to withdraw the bid that goes over the maximum. I would encourage everyone to report that behavior even if it wasn't their high bid getting revealed.
If bidders are getting into bidding wars and driving the price past that of new items, or not comparing prices on amazon (or even straight from the manufacturer is cheaper sometimes), that's not sellers' (or ebay's) fault.
Really! That's not my experience. Or second chance with the identical item or re-list if they shill over your maximum. Shills seem more difficult to catch now with the lack of transparency available to the buyer and the consequences seemed minor to me when reported. Back on.... I love Apple's integrity here. It's not only about short term money.
Cheers Patrick Timney (aka) SCW
http://twitter.com/thescw
http://www.flickr.com/people/thescw
Good for Apple on this one, though like the previous poster, I wonder if we would be reading this story had someone not brought it to Apple's ''attention''.. Also interested in wether any of the apps removed were particularly popular, or had made it to the top listing.
As the person who discovered & this fraud... I don't think if I hadn't brought it to Apple's attention that it wouldn't have been taken care of so soon... Possibly far too late for those who spent hard earned money on one of the apps to then be left with a hole in their pockets.
Yes Molinker had a few TOP apps... on the day they were removed from the AppStore one of their apps was on the front page of the AppStore in an Apples Favorites section "ColorMagic" app. As well they had two apps in the "Top Paid App" section for Photography "ColorMagic & OOF Out of Focus" both were is the top 20.
Cheers Patrick Timney (aka) SCW
http://twitter.com/thescw
http://www.flickr.com/people/thescw
Good find SCW.