File a DMCA complaint.
Also it can be considered phising attack if both app ask for some user data and users enter their data in the fake app because they believe it's the real app.
Someone's stealing our identity on Apple's App Store
31–40 of 69 posts
Re: Someone's stealing our identity on Apple's App Store
#32Earlier quoted context omitted.
But surely Apple does a search of the App store for other products with the same name, as part of the submission process ? Another app with almost identical name and same icon from a different developer, red flag no ? How would the fraudster complain about a stolen app if the allegedly stolen app had been on the app store for a considerable time before the fraudster's app was submitted ?
It really isn't that simple. How do you know which of the two apps has legal ownership of that name ? Or whether any of them do ?
It's really not that hard.
1. App released first by Appname LLC
2. App released much later by ENTER MOBILE APPS, a company with a lot of other obvious copyright violations like using the Skitch logo in a totally unrelated app.
Re: Someone's stealing our identity on Apple's App Store
#33"On August 22nd, 2013..." "We were under the impression that Apple would protect us from being in a situation like this. " Frankly it sounds like you were under the impression that Apple is able to universally and fairly adjudicate all claims in less than 24 hours. That's silly. What if the fraudster complained about you and Apple acted too quickly and tossed your app? I mean sure your app was there first but in lots…
Google pulls apps too rapidly and without proof; just fill a (incomplete) DMCA request and they'll shut down the app first, ask questions later. Thorough research and actual proof are how it's supposed to be, not a half baked DMCA request.
Google does nothing about "cloned" fake apps, just look at this ask.fm clone, for example, which has been there for years and the developer is getting rich from 5M+ users and tons of ads inside: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.wAskFM
Re: Someone's stealing our identity on Apple's App Store
#34"On August 22nd, 2013..." "We were under the impression that Apple would protect us from being in a situation like this. " Frankly it sounds like you were under the impression that Apple is able to universally and fairly adjudicate all claims in less than 24 hours. That's silly. What if the fraudster complained about you and Apple acted too quickly and tossed your app? I mean sure your app was there first but in lots…
I think you're a being a bit disingenuous here. Within 24 hours, Apple did respond.... but in the negative.
A quote from the article:
> The next day we finally received a response which indicated that Apple had no intention of helping us with this situation. They asked that we communicate with the developer and keep them apprised of our progress
I'm not certain of the contents of the email from Apple, but it readily appears that there isn't any transparent procedure. Essentially, they're saying you should sue the company, get an injunction, and turn it over to Apple because Apple isn't going to help you without legally being forced into it.
Re: Someone's stealing our identity on Apple's App Store
#35While I do not claim to be some creative genius, I feel like you shouldn't base your app off of another existing app. Without the creation of Instagram, your app would not exist.
Re: Someone's stealing our identity on Apple's App Store
#36Even apple has faced this from samsung and google.Its a bad world out there. Give users the best product, get their confidence. Rest will be history.
Re: Someone's stealing our identity on Apple's App Store
#37Earlier quoted context omitted.
It really isn't that simple. How do you know which of the two apps has legal ownership of that name ? Or whether any of them do ?
It's really not that hard. 1. App released first by Appname LLC 2. App released much later by ENTER MOBILE APPS, a company with a lot of other obvious copyright violations like using the Skitch logo in a totally unrelated app.
Easy. I'll just wait for companies to announce their upcoming app, release a shell fake, and make the original developer pay for the privilege of using the name.
Re: Someone's stealing our identity on Apple's App Store
#38"On August 22nd, 2013..." "We were under the impression that Apple would protect us from being in a situation like this. " Frankly it sounds like you were under the impression that Apple is able to universally and fairly adjudicate all claims in less than 24 hours. That's silly. What if the fraudster complained about you and Apple acted too quickly and tossed your app? I mean sure your app was there first but in lots…
I've received warnings from Apple just for using other products names in the keywords for My app. The person who filed the request for me to remove their app name said that having my app named caused "confusion." I think that in this case, they could move swiftly to warn the clone especially if they are using the same name.
Re: Someone's stealing our identity on Apple's App Store
#39well, according to recent news, you're going to have to remove "gram" from your product name anyway.
http://techcrunch.com/2013/08/19/instagram-cracks-down-on-co...
Re: Someone's stealing our identity on Apple's App Store
#40Have you had a lawyer send the app developer a cease and desist? Have you contacted a lawyer?
Their blog says the offender is someplace in "Eastern Europe". I think that C&D would end up being a 300 dollar piece of toilet paper.
Like many other folks are saying, I think a DMCA filing citing infringement against their art assets would be most effective.