Apple revealed its App Retailer prevented greater than $2 billion in fraudulent transactions in 2024 alone, contributing to over $9 billion in blocked fraudulent exercise throughout the previous 5 years. However because the App Retailer blocks fraud, the figures spotlight the tech large’s ongoing battle in opposition to more and more subtle dangerous actors making an attempt to take advantage of customers and builders on its platform.
The large fraud prevention effort protects the App Retailer’s 813 million weekly guests throughout 175 areas worldwide. Since its 2008 launch, Apple’s market has grown into one of many world’s most trusted digital storefronts, Apple stated. However sustaining that status requires fixed vigilance in opposition to evolving threats starting from information theft apps to fee scams.
App Retailer blocks fraud: Prevention catches $9 billion in dangerous transactions in 5 years
Because it reviews yearly, Apple stated its fraud detection programs terminated greater than 146,000 developer accounts in 2024 over fraud issues, whereas rejecting an extra 139,000 developer enrollment makes an attempt earlier than malicious actors might even submit apps to the shop. The corporate additionally blocked over 711 million buyer account creations and deactivated almost 129 million present buyer accounts final yr. These actions prevented faux accounts from manipulating app rankings, evaluations and search rankings that might mislead real customers.
Past the official App Retailer, Apple detected and blocked greater than 10,000 illegitimate apps on pirate storefronts in 2024. These embody malware, pornography, playing apps and stolen variations of legit apps. The corporate stated it additionally stopped almost 4.6 million makes an attempt to put in apps distributed outdoors approved channels in simply the previous month.
App overview catches tens of millions of problematic submissions
Picture: Apple
Apple’s App Overview workforce examines almost 150,000 app submissions weekly, with human reviewers and automatic programs working collectively to catch doubtlessly dangerous software program. Out of seven.7 million submissions reviewed in 2024, greater than 1.9 million had been rejected for failing to satisfy Apple’s safety, reliability and person expertise requirements.
The overview course of eliminated over 37,000 apps for fraudulent exercise, whereas rejecting greater than 43,000 submissions containing hidden options designed to bypass preliminary screening. Apple additionally blocked over 320,000 submissions that copied different apps, contained spam, or tried to mislead customers by means of misleading practices.
Privateness violations resulted in 400,000 app rejections, as Apple continues implementing strict guidelines in opposition to apps that entry private information with out correct person consent. One other 17,000 apps had been eliminated for “bait-and-switch” ways, the place seemingly harmless apps hid dangerous performance.
App Retailer blocks fraud: Combating faux evaluations and fee fraud
Picture: Apple
Apple processed greater than 1.2 billion rankings and evaluations in 2024, eradicating greater than 143 million fraudulent entries designed to artificially increase app rankings. The corporate additionally eliminated over 7,400 apps from trending charts and almost 9,500 misleading apps from search outcomes, serving to legit builders compete on benefit moderately than manipulation.
Fee safety stays a high precedence, with Apple figuring out almost 4.7 million stolen bank cards and banning over 1.6 million accounts from future transactions. The corporate’s Apple Pay system protects customers by by no means storing precise card numbers on units or servers, whereas builders by no means obtain buyer fee info straight.
Over 420,000 apps now use Apple’s safe fee applied sciences, together with Apple Pay and StoreKit. They supply built-in fraud safety, buy administration instruments and end-to-end encryption for all transactions.
Apple says it should proceed investing in fraud prevention measures whereas offering customers with assets to report suspected scams and keep protected whereas searching and buying apps. You’ll be able to be taught extra about staying protected on the App Retailer at help.apple.com/en-us/122712.
Supply: Apple
