Apple Actively Monitors App Store To Protect Us From Fraudsters

It’s no secret that Apple maintains a tight grip on the content that is allowed to make its way into its App Store. But what many of us are unaware of is the level of scrutiny that goes on behind the scenes to examine new apps to ensure that they adhere to the stipulated guidelines.

Apple’s App Review team works around the clock to protect customers from harmful apps. In fact, last year alone, the company has managed to protect users from more than $1.5 billion in potentially fraudulent transactions. It also kept nearly a million risky and vulnerable new apps away from them.

The App Review team works as an essential line of defence against malicious or misbehaving apps. They make sure that apps submitted for approval adhere to the guidelnesxx on privacy, security and spam. The end goal is to provide users with sufficient protection to enjoy the best experience possible on the platform.

Apple’s team also assists new developers to ensure that their apps are ready for primetime. Apps that aren’t quite finished when submitted for approval, will be flagged as such and developers will be asked to rectify potential problems. In 2020, the team rejected nearly 1 million problematic apps and another nearly 1 million app updates for similar reasons.

In the same year, 48,000 apps were rejected for containing hidden or undocumented features, and more than 150,000 apps were rejected due to them being spam, copycats or misleading users in various ways inlcuding making an unintended purchase. Some unscrupulous developers change how an app works after review to evade the aforementioned guidelines.

This is done to commit forbidden or criminal actions. Once the App Review team discovered tem, they were rejected and removed immediately. Respective developers will be notified of a 14-day appeal process before their accounts are permanently terminated. About 95,000 apps were removed for this very reason in 2020.

Similarly Apple also rejected apps that switched functionality after the initial review process to become real-money gamling apps, predatory loan issuers and pornography hubs. These apps used in-game signals to allow dug purchasing and reward users who broadcast illicit and pornogaphic content via video chat.

Besides this, apps are also rejected for simply mishandling user data. Though certain social media sites don’t consider this problem as a crime, Cupertino chooses to see it differently. Last year, it rejected 215,000 apps for various privacy violations. Apple is gung-ho about protecting user privacy, and this one of several ways that it uses try and keep our data safe.

App Store users can also do their part in combating malicious app activity within iOS. If they notice a problematic app, they can use the Report A Problem feature in the App Store or call Apple Support to alert the team to the potential problem. Developers can also do the same or use channels like Feedback Assistant and Apple Developer Support.

Apple also monitors fraudulent ratings and reviews. The company relies on machine learning, AI and human review by expert teams to moderate ratings and reviews. This is done to ensure authenticity and maintain accuracy. Last year, it received over 1 billion ratings and over 100 millions reviews. Over 250 million ratings and reviews were removed because they did not meet the required standard.

The team also terminated 470,000 developer accounts and rejected about 205,000 developer enrolments over fraud concerns. That isn’t all, during the same time frame, the company also blocked nearly 110,000 illegitimate apps on pirate storefronts that distribute malicious software designed to look like legitimate apps.

Cupertino also proactively monitors credit card payment behaviour to make sure fraudsters cannot use stolen cards on the App Store. Through its AI tech and human review mechanism, the comapny managed to prevent more than 2 million stolen credit cards from being used for purchases and banned nearly 1 million accounts from the App Store.

Though many of us are oblivious to what’s happening behind the scenes, it’s comforting to know that Apple is working tirelessly to prevent bad actors from circulating malicious and fraudulent content to the general public. It’s also comforting to know that Apple considers user data as sacred and not a tool to lure marketeers to the platform.