Unscrupulous app developers who want to flat-out BUY positive reviews in the App Store now have a web site to go to to purchase them in neat little packages Unbelievable, way out of order, and real.  The screencap above is from the home page of the YourAppReviewed.com site.  As you can see, they are selling […]
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Paid-for Reviews to Scam the App Store – There’s a Site for That

Apr 30th 2010 by

PayforReviews

Unscrupulous app developers who want to flat-out BUY positive reviews in the App Store now have a web site to go to to purchase them in neat little packages

Unbelievable, way out of order, and real.  The screencap above is from the home page of the YourAppReviewed.com site.  As you can see, they are selling ‘packs’ of positive reviews for any developer who is willing to put all ethics and decency aside and scam the App Store review system.

We already knew there are many review sites round the web that accept (and even demand) money for their app reviews, but this sort of blatant scamming of the reviews in the App Store is a new low in terms of scummy practices surrounding app reviews.

Here is the text from the site’s ‘How It Works’ page:

How it works:

Getting unbiased reviews on the US App Store couldn ‘t be easier!

Follow this advantageous 5-step process:

1- Order the number of reviews you need from our store.

2- If your app isn’t free, provide us with an equal number of Promotional Codes from iTunes® Connect*. (Developers can request up to 50 codes for each of their application. Connect to your iTunes Connect to request and download these codes).  Please quote your order number in the subject line of your email and send them to orders@YourAppReviewed.com.

3- After providing us with your codes, real iPhone® and iPod® touch users with US iTunes accounts will be hired by YourAppReviewed.com to download and review your app. These reviews will be completed within 48 hours.

4- Depending on their reviews, one of two scenarios will apply:

a. If a reviewer likes your app and gives it a 4 or 5-star rating, he or she will post his/her review in English on the US App Store, without your prior approval.

b. If a reviewer decides to give your app a 1, 2 or 3-star rating, he or she will send us their constructive criticism and comments. This information will be forwarded to you for approval prior to being posted on the App Store.  The reviewers will not post their comments unless you decide that they should.  Whether or not you want these reviews published on the App Store, you will have gained valuable insight into how your app could be improved.

5- YourAppReviewed.com will send you a summary of all reviews along with their status (submitted to the App Store and/or sent to developer) within 72 hours, to keep for your records.

Some obvious key things to note here:

— Reviewers are HIRED by YourAppReviewed.com

— Positive – 4 or 5 star – reviews are posted.

— Any less than positive reviews – less than 4 stars – are not posted, but sent to the developers, for their ‘approval’ before going any further.

This is so outrageously wrong, and the site is completely brazen about it.  Here’s hoping that Apple just haven’t spotted these guys yet – and when they have a moment away from their pursuit of Gizmodo, they can get this sleazy outfit shut down.

I’ve never placed much stock in App Store reviews, but seeing this site today was still shocking to me.

Thanks to Rob from the Today in iPhone podcast and site for sharing this story with me via email.  Rob has more horrible detail on all of it at his post here:

http://tii.libsyn.com/bogus_app_review_site_has_hundreds_of_paid_reviews_in_i_tunes

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