Apple has been hard at work protecting App Store users from fraud, announcing that they blocked over $7 billion in potentially fraudulent transactions from 2020 to 2023. Last year alone, Apple stopped more than $1.8 billion in suspicious transactions and prevented over 14 million stolen credit cards and 3.3 million accounts from conducting transactions with the App Store.
Not only did Apple prevent fraudulent transactions, but they also blocked fraudulent apps from being listed on the App Store. Last year, Apple rejected over 1.7 million app submissions for failing to meet their standards for privacy, security, and content. Additionally, 248,000 requests for app listings were blocked because they were considered spam or misleading.
Apple also denied over 38,000 apps from being listed due to “hidden or undocumented features” and rejected more than 375,000 apps for privacy violations. These actions are essential as some seemingly harmless apps can turn malicious once installed.
According to Apple, bad actors often disguise risky apps as harmless ones like photo editors or puzzle games. These apps can later transform into illegal gambling platforms or fraudulent services post-review. To combat this issue, App Review removed or rejected 40,000 problematic apps in 2023 alone.
App Review takes action against reported fraudulent or malicious apps by immediately removing them from the App Store and terminating the developer’s access to the Apple Developer Program. In the past year, close to 98,000 fraudulent apps were prevented from reaching users.
To further protect users, Apple processed over 1.1 billion ratings and reviews in 2023 and removed nearly 152 million fraudulent ones from the App Store. This helps prevent bad actors from tricking unsuspecting users into installing malicious apps.
Apple’s efforts are not just about showcasing their fraud prevention systems but also about ensuring users feel safe and secure when using the App Store for app installations or in-app purchases. Trust that when you use the App Store, Apple has your back against fraudsters trying to take advantage of unsuspecting customers.
