Apple has a tight grip over which apps iPhone owners can use. iOS users can only download apps from the App Store. The company also takes a 30 percent commission from developers. Despite these measures - which many believe are unfair - that have seemingly been designed to keep users safe, many fraudulent apps are still there on Apple's official applications store.
Apple refuses to do anything about a good number of fraudulent apps
According to VPN reviews site Vpncheck, Apple has done nothing about the majority of 133 fraudulent apps that Avast found in March 2021. As of that time, they had been downloaded 500 million times and brought in revenue of $365 million.15 months later, 84 of those apps are still present on the App Store. These apps are called fleeceware and have been designed to dupe you out of money. So while there is nothing malicious in their code and they don't steal your data, they are still quite dangerous because they come with hidden excessive fees and charges. According to Vpncheck's estimate, they scam users out of $100 million annually. The apps have been downloaded 7.2 million times and generate revenue of $8.6 million every month. It's not that hard to identify apps like these. Most of them are entertainment apps such as virtual musical tools or utilities like flashlights and calculators. They can also be lurking beneath fortune-telling apps, photo or video filters or editors, volume boosters, quiz-based games, or wallpapers. Another tell-tale sign is a flood of paid 5-star reviews posted with bogus reviewer names to hide genuine lower-rated reviews. These apps lure users with a free trial period even though it's normally easy to find a free alternative. They come with hidden costs and may charge you multiple times or charge a higher amount at checkout. On top of that, they have been designed such that it's very hard to unsubscribe from their services, so they may continue billing you even after you uninstall them. Also, be wary of false advertisements that claim the app has been recommended by Apple.
If you have downloaded any of the 84 apps and are unable to unsubscribe, it's best to ask your bank to stop processing any payment requests made by them.
Here are there names:
Frames - Picture Collage Maker
Facelab - Face Editor & Beauty
TeasEar: ASMR Slime Antistress
Nebula: Horoscope & Astrology
Astroline: The Daily Horoscope
FLMX - Video Editor
Stickerfy: Sticker Maker
Pixomatic - Background eraser
SpeedPro Slow speed video edit
Music Zen - Relaxing Sounds
Sticker Maker - BeSticky
Photo To Sketch - Drawing book
Mood Balance: Self Care Tracker
Presets for Lightroom - Vidl
Jigsaw Puzzle - Brain Games
Lift: Story Maker
Dazzle - Insta stories editor
Baby Sticker- Track Milestones
Life Palmistry - AI Palm & Tag
Photoly Remove Object & Editor
Facetory: Face Yoga & Exercise
VOCHI Video Effects Editor
Lucky Life - Future Seer
So, why is not Apple removing these apps from the App Store?
Given how easy it is to spot these apps, it appears that Apple cares more about its 30 percent cut, search ads business, and App Store profitability than protecting users from scammy apps, or so thinks Vpncheck.
