Apple has revealed that in 2022, the App Store successfully prevented over $2 billion in potentially fraudulent transactions and rejected nearly 1.7 million app submissions for not meeting the platform’s high standards for privacy, security, and content.
Since its launch in 2008, the App Store has aimed to create a reliable and secure platform for users to discover and download apps while providing developers with a space to showcase their ideas and grow their businesses. Apple has implemented various measures over the years to support this ecosystem, attracting over 650 million average weekly visitors globally and empowering more than 36 million registered Apple developers with access to 195 local payment methods and 44 currencies.
Last year, Apple took significant steps to combat fraud and abuse, identifying and removing 428,000 developer accounts and 282 million customer accounts. The company has continuously enhanced its monitoring and detection systems to swiftly address account fraud. In 2021, over 802,000 developer accounts were terminated, but thanks to new methods and protocols, that number dropped to 428,000 in 2022. Moreover, approximately 105,000 enrollments in the Apple Developer Program were rejected due to suspected fraudulent activities, effectively preventing the submission of malicious apps to the App Store.
Apple has also prioritized user safety by protecting them from approximately 57,000 untrustworthy apps distributed through illegitimate storefronts. These unauthorized marketplaces lack the robust privacy and security safeguards found on the App Store, posing risks such as the distribution of harmful software or unauthorized alterations to popular apps without the developers’ consent.
Additionally, in the past 30 days alone, Apple thwarted close to 3.9 million attempts to install or launch apps illicitly distributed through the Developer Enterprise Program, which facilitates internal app deployment within large organizations.
Addressing fraudulent customer accounts, Apple disabled over 282 million accounts associated with fraudulent and abusive activity in 2022. Furthermore, the company proactively blocked the creation of 198 million fraudulent new accounts before they could be established.
Apple’s commitment to maintaining a safe and trustworthy App Store environment remains steadfast, protecting users and developers alike from fraudulent activities and upholding stringent standards for privacy, security, and content quality.
