Mac AppStore apps with fake reviews
Recently while I was surfing on the Mac AppStore I noticed a high growth of the app such as adware removal, adware cleaner, adware doctor and antivirus.
This caught my attention since I know that in order to provide a great product that will protect the Mac for sure against malware you must have a good team in order to collect and extract malware signatures.
My surprise was that most of the like:
Adware Doctor - Remove adware malware blah blah blah
Adware Removal - Remove adware malware blah blah blah
Adware Remover
Antivirus...............this is just an example and the list can continue
are not even scanning for malware/adware. They are just cleaning the browser cache and restoring your browser, things that you can do easy without paying.
So far so good, if someone wants to pay to clean the browser it is not a problem, but what I also noticed is that most of the developers are using, pay attention, a system to self-review their apps using and the scheme they are using is pretty simple:
Scheme 1 noticed on the developer named: YONGMING ZHANG (btw this guy contacted me after I posted on other forum and told me: "We are not manipulating the review system" YEAH right, have a look on the AppStore with search adware how is possible that among 7-8 adware apps only YOUR app has 100+ reviews.... I am the only one who is seeing that something is really "fishy" here?)
When he is launching the app or update he is offering the so called "security app" for FREE for a few days. In this days he is creating lots of Apple AppStore usernames and he downloads the app - because it is for FREE.
After he has lots of AppStore usernames with his app downloaded he is starting to self-review his app with 5 stars reviews - as far as I noticed he is reviewing not more than 3-4 5 star reviews per day.
Scheme 2 noticed on many developers such as Solaz Dazen Srl or Pocket Bits LLC both of this developers are selling "Antivirus" and "BitMedic Antivirus" apps.
They used a pay for review system provided by the (BestReviewApp). - After a closer look at this system the guys who has this platform are simply promoting your app on their platform and are paying the users who are downloading and reviewing your app (recommending you to review it with 4 or 5 stars.
If you will open Mac AppStore, go to the apps mentioned and click on a 5 star review for example the one given by the username "HerbertTFoulk" you will notice that this user is reviewing both apps and other apps only with 5 stars reviews. (Screenshots attached to this post for proof)
Manipulating the review system is forbidden by the Apple and will result in account termination according to the Apple, but nobody cares.
It's a shame that the Apple review system and most important the Apple staff are allowing this.
1. You can't name your app Antivirus or Adware removal or Adware cleaner and your app does not have anything to do with that.
2. The manipulation system of the reviews. Customers are manipulating to buy products when they see that other fake buyers are saying that the product is so "great"
Hope that my post will trigger some investigations against this apps and Apple will take the right actions.
Why I am saying that "Apple does not care" is because I did contact their review team via e-mail many times, providing lots of information on what is going on and the only reply I go is that: "We have received your e-mail, your Ticket # is, we will investigate".
Nothing happened and I think that nothing will happen. The only ones who are losing are us, regular customers. Not all the customers have a good knowledge to spot "fishy" apps and they will fall for sure in the developer trick.
P.S: I would be happy also other users to come and report this to Apple. Maybe in this way we can solve something.
