Andrew Heinzman
Apple regularly claims that its App Store policies help protect customers from fraud and scams. But in reality, the App Store is full of fraudulent apps vying to steal customers’ money and solicit good reviews. Because Apple can no longer ignore the problem, it’s now giving users an easy way to report scammy apps.
Longtime iPhone users may remember the old “Report a Problem” button, which Apple prominently displayed under App Store listings about a decade ago. This button is back, though it’s now tucked alongside app Privacy Policy and Licensing Agreement shortcuts under app descriptions.
Clicking the new “Report a Problem” button redirects users to a webpage, where they need to sign in using an Apple ID. A drop-down menu then appears, giving users the ability to request a refund, report a quality issue, or report that an app is a scam.
In a major reversal, Apple quietly added back the “Report a Problem” @AppStore button in iOS 15: pic.twitter.com/UopiPDEV7e
— Kosta Eleftheriou (@keleftheriou) October 3, 2021
Previously, customers trying to report scammy apps had to press a “Report Suspicious Activity” button hidden at the bottom of an App Store listing. This button gave users a clear line of communication with Apple if they had already purchased a scammy app, but that’s about it. Those trying to report apps that they hadn’t purchased were forced to go through Apple Support, where they were often given the runaround.
We’re glad to see Apple open a line of communication for customers to report scammy apps. But we’re worried that the company won’t take this seriously. As we saw last week, Apple is getting worse with software security and has a habit of ignoring bug reports, despite the fact that it runs an official security bounty program.
The new “Report a Problem” App Store button is currently rolling out for iPhone and iPad users in the United States. But this button appears to be an iOS 15 and iPadOS 15 exclusive. If you want to use it, then you need to download the latest software update from Apple.
Source: Kosta Eleftheriou via MacRumors
