Scammed by the top result for 'Bitcoin wallet' in Apple App Store • Hacker News Board

Re: Scammed by the top result for 'Bitcoin wallet' in Apple App Store

#81

Post by [deleted] » Wed, Mar 13, 2024, 1:59 AM UTC

Rodmine wrote: post #77

blibble wrote: post #8

I don't think I've ever searched for something on the app store and not got a scam as the first result just tried it - my bank? I get crypto.com - train company app? knockoff app that charges extra fees - my broker? CFD gambling app - official government app for paying my tax? intuit product I dare to think how many people this lures in scammy ads plastered everywhere is what I'd expect from Google products not for t…

> scammy ads plastered everywhere is what I'd expect from Google products This won’t fit with the manufactured popular understanding, but at the current time, Google protects you from fraud and scam better than anyone. I have been unfortunate enough to be scammed recently from a bing search result (ad). (It was a new computer and I decided to use Edge and bing was the default search). Apple, Microsoft etc. are rookie…

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Re: Scammed by the top result for 'Bitcoin wallet' in Apple App Store

#82

Post by trothamel » Wed, Mar 13, 2024, 1:59 AM UTC

KomoD wrote: post #5

> does a scam app become the #1 organic search result (not promoted) in the app store It's possible that it's just because it was literally called "Bitcoin Wallet", an exact match for your search, or boosted by fake reviews, or it was actually an ad that you didn't notice. Though it shouldn't have gotten past review at all But I don't really understand why you'd blindly trust some random app? Also, would be interesti…

> But I don't really understand why you'd blindly trust some random app?

Perhaps because Apple claims their apps go through a review process, and one would hope this would have failed that process? That's what Apple claims the value proposition of their 30% cut and closed platform are.

Re: Scammed by the top result for 'Bitcoin wallet' in Apple App Store

#83

Post by hooksfordays » Wed, Mar 13, 2024, 1:59 AM UTC

Replying to verify I see the same app almost at the top of search result. Based in Canada and searching “Bitcoin Wallet”, it was the 2nd non-promoted result.

I have only 1 other app of this variety on my phone currently and haven’t used it or searched for anything crypto related including months.

Re: Scammed by the top result for 'Bitcoin wallet' in Apple App Store

#84

Post by [deleted] » Wed, Mar 13, 2024, 2:01 AM UTC

habeanf wrote: post #44

fingerlocks wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

[flagged]

How am I supposed to prove I didn't seek the app out? What level of proof do you expect? Do you expect me to create a brand new apple account, replace the one in my phone (which might require wiping it?), and then search again, just to satisfy your default assumption that my claim is false? When I first installed the app it was the first search result. I can't go back in time and prove it because I'm not paranoid and…

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Re: Scammed by the top result for 'Bitcoin wallet' in Apple App Store

#85

Post by pushcx » Wed, Mar 13, 2024, 2:04 AM UTC

concinds wrote: post #35

pushcx wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Pretty much every brand or app I search for finds a competitor first. Searching for "robinhood" turns up an unaffiliated cryptocurrency app and "macrofactor" turns up a competing diet app, etc. App store search has been broken for at least a few years.

Do you mean ads or organic results? Apple should remove App Store search ads altogether (I'm sure they won't). By definition they won't give you the app you searched for, because the keyword will be bought by a competitor or even a scam.

If Apple is making money from showing incorrect search results, isn’t that worse?

Re: Scammed by the top result for 'Bitcoin wallet' in Apple App Store

#86

Post by [deleted] » Wed, Mar 13, 2024, 2:14 AM UTC

CharlesW wrote: post #78

roflchoppa wrote: post #2

It’s crazy that you can leave reviews from within the App Store, nor can you report it to Apple from within the App Store.

> …nor can you report it to Apple from within the App Store. You can, since 2021. https://www.theverge.com/2021/10/4/22705405/apple-report-a-p...

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Re: Scammed by the top result for 'Bitcoin wallet' in Apple App Store

#87

Post by roflchoppa » Wed, Mar 13, 2024, 2:15 AM UTC

CharlesW wrote: post #78

roflchoppa wrote: post #2

It’s crazy that you can leave reviews from within the App Store, nor can you report it to Apple from within the App Store.

> …nor can you report it to Apple from within the App Store. You can, since 2021. https://www.theverge.com/2021/10/4/22705405/apple-report-a-p...

I don’t see the option in the section that is referenced, only the privacy policy. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Re: Scammed by the top result for 'Bitcoin wallet' in Apple App Store

#88

Post by doix » Wed, Mar 13, 2024, 2:16 AM UTC

pie420 wrote: post #26

openthc wrote: post #3

I thought the Apple platform had the best consumer experience and that's why folk love it -- it "just works" -- cause they keep the riff-raff out of their gated community. Perhaps they let this one slip through because their team was too busy dragging out the review process for our cannabis compliance application, they can only afford so many reviewers after all. We wouldn't want children accidentally getting their h…

Apples app store is way worse than the google play store. i was shocked at how bad the app store is with shitty ads and promoted content over organic search results

And yet, the top result for "Bitcoin wallet" on the play store isn't a scam. And on it's definitely not a scam on F-Droid where I would personally look for a Bitcoin wallet.

Re: Scammed by the top result for 'Bitcoin wallet' in Apple App Store

#89

Post by kps » Wed, Mar 13, 2024, 2:19 AM UTC

hooksfordays wrote: post #83

Replying to verify I see the same app almost at the top of search result. Based in Canada and searching “Bitcoin Wallet”, it was the 2nd non-promoted result. I have only 1 other app of this variety on my phone currently and haven’t used it or searched for anything crypto related including months.

Same for me, second result. I've never had anything crypto-related on my phone.

Re: Scammed by the top result for 'Bitcoin wallet' in Apple App Store

#90

Post by zizee » Wed, Mar 13, 2024, 2:20 AM UTC

swatcoder wrote: post #24

When I perform your search, I get legitimate results at the top, and I don't see the specific app from the Reddit thread. But about at about rank #7, I see an app that uses a distorted form of the same logo, a different unfamiliar publisher, a slightly altered title and a similar smattering of only a few reviews. It sounds like somebody is burning developer accounts to keep reposting the scam app. Not unlike people b…

> You can't escape personal due diligence and "it was top ranked!" has never been that.

Apple continually makes claims that the closed ecosystem is essential to the safety of their customers, that they have a robust review process, and that their customers choose them because of the safety they provide. Apple should stop repeating these claims if they are not, in fact, reliable protection against scams.