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PSA: Watch Out for Fake ChatGPT Apps and Other Scams in the Mac App Store

jchap said:
I think we might be surprised to know how much "artificial intelligence" is already present in the products we own. A good example might be automobiles. Most cars made nowadays have a built-in network of microprocessors that communicate with each other to make decisions based on the condition of the other systems, to increase driver comfort or prolong the life of certain components. It doesn't have a language-based interface, but it does have a certain degree of programmed "intelligence."
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Fun fact: No. Microprocessors are in cars in order to keep you from being able to take it to an independent repair shop to get it fixed with non-OEM parts, and to give the automobile manufacturers a new subscription revenue stream. It's the same game as Apple uses to make sure you can't use third-party parts in your iPhone or other iGadget.
 
rpmurray said:
Fun fact: No. Microprocessors are in cars in order to keep you from being able to take it to an independent repair shop to get it fixed with non-OEM parts, and to give the automobile manufacturers a new subscription revenue stream. It's the same game as Apple uses to make sure you can't use third-party parts in your iPhone or other iGadget.
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Both can be true. They aren’t there specifically to stop third party repair shops. But the fact that the software to interface with them and the manuals that teach you how to use them are only licensed to authorized dealers, well that’s just a convenient side effect.

It doesn’t have to be this way, just like all of computing doesn’t have to be controlled by a few megacorporations. That’s just how it tends to shake out. RMS was right.
 
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rpmurray said:
Where is the fun in that? Next you'll be telling us that users should take responsibility for their own actions.
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They should, but it doesn’t jive with Apple’s pitch about the App Store being the safe space for people to run wild in. That narrative is wearing very, very thin but they keep clinging to it.

Back in my day we downloaded executable files straight from the developer’s website over an unencrypted connection, and ran them on our own computers without the operating system vendor or anyone else having a say about it.

I would wager that the percentage of scams and malware are higher now than they were then. We have better ways today to verify software safety (to a reasonable degree) but the OS vendors want to keep or take even more control.
 
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laz232 said:
I did not fall for any scam apps (because I'm cynical AF) but it's pretty easy to fall prey to this - especially as Apple keeps harping on about how curated their store is.
It's disappointing that the app review process does not flag such apps.
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For THESE though, one would have to be a person that KNOWS about ChatGPT ANNND doesn’t know about how to obtain it without a subscription which is the same as ‘not knowing how to use a search engine’. “I’ve surfed the web to know about ChatGPT, but can’t use those SAME skills to find out the best way to experience it” kind of thing. :)

It’s easy to fall prey to this for only a VERY specific set of unlikely-to-exist people. And, understanding that developers complain that Mac users don’t widely use the Mac App Store (even less likely for anyone to fall for it), this is really just a social media blast primarily meant to bring attention to Privacy1st researcher, Alex Kleber. Which, of course, sounds more formal than Alex Kleber, who is Privacy1st on Twitter. :) I have no doubt they’ll be back in a few months with another blockbuster industry shattering piece warning about some other obvious thing because they’ve learned well that there’s a number of people willing to publicize and rebroadcast any trivia about Apple!
 
Truly just hilarious how people keep banging the drum of how awful third party app stores and sideloading will be for user security when high profile scam apps get let into the walled garden on the daily.
 
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This shows interest in AI for phones. Apple is hopeless, 10 years behind in AI now. Good Apple. Cementing the road for Android take over in 5 years.
 
sw1tcher said:
How can there be fake and scam apps in Apple's App store when each and every app is reviewed and then either approved or rejected by Apple's Walled Garden Protection Team™?

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I have no idea. Been arguing with a selected few keyboard warriors and Apple diehard fans for some 20 pages about sideloading, and fake chatGPT apps still can flood App Store. Those people don’t even know they have no idea what they are defending and what’s the real picture.
4odomi said:
Stop misleading people, this is the Mac App Store, nothing like the Walled garden which is IOS & IPADOS 😡
And this actually shows, the consequences of an Open Platform!
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So what? Mac App Store is STILL managed by apple and there has been proved apps offering more features outside of App Store version SIMPLY because how restrictive App Store policies are.
4odomi said:
Except this is the Mac App Store, which totally separate from the Controlled App Store which is the iPhone App Store, there is a lot less scrutiny on Mac App Store, because of the ability to side load!
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You guys ain’t stop defending apple on this ”sideloading“ issue aren’t you? If Mac App Store has less scrutiny than iOS App Store, why we can’t download all Mac apps from App Store, but an extremely small portion of it? For example, why we can’t download Google Chrome on Mac App Store? Why there is no matlab on Mac App Store?
 
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jchap said:
I see your point about tying accounts to personal ID.

Actually, I just found a reference on the Apple Developer website that states that submission of a "driver’s license or government-issued photo ID" is already a requirement (https://developer.apple.com/support/app-account/#verify).

I'm not sure what else can be done at this point. Any other ideas?
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I don’t know. Like multiple factors of ID, such as birth certificate? However, if AI is good enough, soon will be fraudulent document. Plus identity theft will always be a thing. Real criminals won’t be bothered to use his/her own ID, but rather stolen one, and one Day FBI knocks on your door asking for crimes you have absolutely no idea about.

We can only increase the cost of committing fraud by so much before massively inconveniencing normal folks who is very likely to abide the law.
 
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JapanApple said:
the sky is falling..........The sky is falling
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Lyrics fits to AppStore.
I can see Tim Cook full of sadness, looking into the distance, from his office window, holding the Digital Markets Act in his hands, and listening to this tune.
 
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Disclosure: I developed and released an app built on top of OpenAI's API. I'm not going to post the name, to avoid accusations of self-promotion.

As a developer, these kind of stories really frustrate me.
I've had apps rejected because of the most stupid reasons and sometimes the level of scrutiny made me remove features, just out of fear.
And then I read stories about these blatantly scam apps that got approved ...and I have a sudden urge to flip the desk.
And if you actually persist and add in-app purchase in your app - in the end, you do need money to live and one might (foolishly) assume that work should be rewarded - you are put in the same bucket with multi-million dollar, profit-focused enterprises and demanded to have lawyers, accountants and customer care representatives to satisfy Apple's requests.
FFS
 
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There is also a bunch of fake AI art programs up there too. There is a bunch of MidJourney "apps" in the store and MJ only works as a bot on Discord.
 
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Apple are a very dishonest company and that’s hard to digest. I have been an apple user for 30 years but it’s increasingly difficult to support them as a company. No worse than most but certainly no better. Their hipocracy is the most galling of all. The appstore is their money machine and they will allow anything in as long as they get their 30%. Tim Cook is fully responsible for this disgusting cash grab. Money money money.
 
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spercharged69 said:
Truly just hilarious how people keep banging the drum of how awful third party app stores and sideloading will be for user security when high profile scam apps get let into the walled garden on the daily.
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So MORE scam apps is better? I mean, that’s ONE point of view. Likely promoted by these developers, so I guess someone has to speak for them.
 
tagyro said:
Disclosure: I developed and released an app built on top of OpenAI's API. I'm not going to post the name, to avoid accusations of self-promotion.

As a developer, these kind of stories really frustrate me.
I've had apps rejected because of the most stupid reasons and sometimes the level of scrutiny made me remove features, just out of fear.
And then I read stories about these blatantly scam apps that got approved ...and I have a sudden urge to flip the desk.
And if you actually persist and add in-app purchase in your app - in the end, you do need money to live and one might (foolishly) assume that work should be rewarded - you are put in the same bucket with multi-million dollar, profit-focused enterprises and demanded to have lawyers, accountants and customer care representatives to satisfy Apple's requests.
FFS
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how dare you want to make money on a Store that only got to the size it is today due to how amazing Apple is at exploiting people like you for their ideas and leaving their carcasses to dry in the sun so they can eventually profit from their bones
 
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Wildkraut said:

Lyrics fits to AppStore.
I can see Tim Cook full of sadness, looking into the distance, from his office window, holding the Digital Markets Act in his hands, and listening to this tune.
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Panic is how people are being led to believe. when AI is the end of the world too many are told to think :p people watch too much Syfy
 
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jchap said:
I see your point about tying accounts to personal ID.

Actually, I just found a reference on the Apple Developer website that states that submission of a "driver’s license or government-issued photo ID" is already a requirement (https://developer.apple.com/support/app-account/#verify).

I'm not sure what else can be done at this point. Any other ideas?
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Great question.

I've only thought about this for 5 minutes, but one thing that springs to mind is that Apple seem to clearly lack someone whose fulltime job is to hunt for scams.

As you point out, App review is imperfect and a lot of scams slip through, but it seems Apple needs someone who is actively looking for scam and copycat apps.

If even a single person can find countless scam and copycat apps within a few hours of searching, it seems a good indication that there's a lot of stuff that is seeping through the app review cracks.

Also, I wonder if machine learning or AI can't be better utilized to snuff out blatant copycat apps.
 
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