When you download apps or make purchases in the App Store, you expect everything to be secure. Apple invests a lot of effort to ensure just that. Since its launch in 2008, the App Store has been considered a trusted marketplace – not only for users but also for developers worldwide. Now Apple has once again released concrete figures that demonstrate how seriously the company takes security. This includes not only software reviews, but also protection against fraud, fake apps, account misuse, and data theft.
The threat landscape is constantly evolving. Therefore, Apple's strategy against fraudulent activities is broad and includes both technical and organizational measures. The following information is based on Apple's current fraud analysis and details which measures were implemented in 2024 and their impact.
App Store prevents billion-dollar fraud
Apple prevented fraudulent transactions worth over $2 billion in 2024. Over the past five years, the total value has exceeded $9 billion. These figures demonstrate the magnitude of the threat—and Apple's consistent approach to combating it. The App Store is used by an average of 813 million people weekly. Keeping this digital marketplace secure requires ongoing controls, updates, and measures against new fraud methods.
Fraud attempts through apps
Apple reviewed approximately 7.7 million app submissions in 2024. 1.9 million of these were rejected for reasons including data protection violations, misleading content, or suspected fraud. More than 37,000 fraudulent apps were removed. Another 43,000 app submissions failed because they contained hidden or undocumented features. More than 320,000 app submissions were rejected because they were spammy, imitated other apps, or were intended to mislead users. 17,000 apps were deleted because they appeared harmless but contained risky content or features. Apple also rejected approximately 400,000 app submissions for data protection violations, such as attempting to access personal data without consent.
Illegal apps and piracy
In its fight against piracy, Apple has discovered and blocked over 10,000 illegal apps on pirated platforms. These included pornography apps, gambling apps, malware, and cloned versions of legitimate apps. Apple also blocked 4.6 million attempts to install or launch such apps because they were not from the App Store or an authorized third-party marketplace.
Account security: User and developer accounts under surveillance
In 2024, Apple deleted more than 146,000 developer accounts for suspected fraud and rejected an additional 139,000 registrations. On the user side, 711 million account registrations were rejected and nearly 129 million customer accounts were deactivated. The goal was to prevent spam, fake reviews, manipulated search results, and other activities that could compromise the integrity of the App Store.
App review: Combination of man and machine
App Review reviews all apps before publication. An average of 150,000 submissions are reviewed each week. The team uses automated processes and manual reviews to identify risks early on. In 2024, over 220,000 developers were supported in publishing their first app. If a fraudulent app is discovered, it often leads to further action—such as removing all apps associated with the developer in question.
Manipulation of ratings and downloads
A key issue is so-called discovery fraud—the artificially boosting the value of apps through purchased downloads or fake ratings. Apple processed more than 1.2 billion ratings and reviews in 2024, identifying and removing over 143 million as fraudulent. Additionally, 7,400 apps were removed from the App Store charts and another 9,500 were deleted from search results because they were found to be manipulating apps. These measures are intended to ensure that honest developers have a fair chance and users are not misled.
Secure payment transactions and protection against credit card fraud
When paying with Apple Pay, device-specific numbers and transaction codes are used. Neither Apple nor developers have access to your credit card information, eliminating another gateway for fraudsters. In 2024, nearly 4.7 million stolen credit cards were detected, and over 1.6 million suspicious accounts were blocked from further transactions. Around 420,000 apps use StoreKit to securely process purchases in the App Store. For you, this means: In-app purchases and subscriptions are encrypted, transparent, and controllable—with Apple ID linking, refund options, and an overview of your purchase history.
Figures, facts, protection: How Apple ensures security in the App Store
Apple protects you in the App Store through a variety of concrete measures – from reviewing every app to protecting against piracy to securing your payment details. The 2024 figures demonstrate the comprehensiveness of these efforts. More than $2 billion in fraud was prevented, and millions of fraudulent apps, reviews, and accounts were shut down. Apple doesn't rely on trust alone – it relies on measurable security processes that help you use the App Store safely and worry-free. (Image: Apple)
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