Sketchy ChatGPT App Soars Up App Store Charts, Charges $7.99 Weekly Subscription [Update: Removed]

[sw1tcher]

I’ve been using this app extensivley. It is not a “fake app”. The results it provides have been outstanding. All indications point to it is using the official OpenAI’s APIs

Did you not read this part:

ChatGPT is free to use on the web for anyone with an OpenAI account, but it has inspired scammers and sketchy developers to take advantage of its popularity for ill-gained profit. One app in particular, named "ChatGPT Chat GPT AI With GPT-3," gives the impression it is the official app for the ChatGPT bot, but appears to have no affiliation to Open AI, the creators of ChatGPT, or the bot itself.


OpenAI is based in San Francisco.

The developer/seller of this ChatGPT Chat GPT AI With GPT-3 app, Social Media Apps & Games GmbH, is in Tempe, Arizona 85284 and their website (chatgpt3.ai) was created on 2022-12-18. If they're legit, why are they using a gmail email account (socialmediaappsandgames @ gmail.com)???

They're in no way associated with OpenAI

 

[Shirasaki]

At least whoever spent tiny bit of time setting up this whole saga can earn some quick bucks. Good for them I guess.
Should it be removed? Honestly, it is kind of difficult to answer. Morally speaking they should be removed, since free services are available without any payment. I dunno about legal ground tho.

Maybe Apple user having free disposable income everyone is the general public’s perception towards us users and evil devs take advantage of that dearly.

 

[eulslix]

And that's why we don't want to have third party app stores. That's why we pay 30% of our revenue as a commission. So that we have actual qualit... oh wait nevermind

 

[4743913]

A great example of that AppStore "safety" people point to when trying to deny users the right to install their own iOS software packages.

 

[djcraze]

The app has GPT3 in the name, which is an API provided by OpenAI that costs money to use. They aren't use ChatGPT2 as the backend. https://openai.com/api/

 

[Red Oak]

Did you not read this part:

ChatGPT is free to use on the web for anyone with an OpenAI account, but it has inspired scammers and sketchy developers to take advantage of its popularity for ill-gained profit. One app in particular, named "ChatGPT Chat GPT AI With GPT-3," gives the impression it is the official app for the ChatGPT bot, but appears to have no affiliation to Open AI, the creators of ChatGPT, or the bot itself.


OpenAI is based in San Francisco.

The developer/seller of this ChatGPT Chat GPT AI With GPT-3 app, Social Media Apps & Games GmbH, is in Tempe, Arizona 85284 and their website (chatgpt3.ai) was created on 2022-12-18. If they're legit, why are they using a gmail email account (socialmediaappsandgames @ gmail.com)???

They're in no way associated with OpenAI

Do you understand that OpenAI offers paid licenses for anyone (including this app) to use their API? You and I could do the same exact thing

Pricing

Simple and flexible. Only pay for what you use.

openai.com

I will agree with you that the app name could be trademark violation

 

[compwiz1202]

I'm not sure why people would expect Apple to reject this app? 30% of $8/week can add up over time. And Apple isn't a charity.

Not the price itself but the pricing weekly vs annual makes no sense. If it were monthly, then that annual price might make sense. Think they do it to "force" you into annual

 

[matthew12]

How does Apple not catch this? I feel like the review team's main functions are automated and the actual humans are only there to deal with its f*ck-ups.

 

[roar08]

How Apple is allowing these apps on the App Store is shocking to me

If you were a mobile developer submitting an app to the App Store and had experience with the review process, you'd very much understand how it happens. Our experience over the last 5 years has been mostly good, but there have been 2 or 3 times we ran into a reviewer who had their head so far up their .... it was unbelievable how much they tried to block our submission making completely unfounded claims. I will say — in our experience — the process has notably improved over time.

 

[erikkfi]

“We created the iPhone and the App Store to be a safe and trusted place for users to download the apps they love."

- Apple, explaining why their stranglehold on iOS app installation is better for users.

 

[Kylo83]

It’s pointless

 

[torontotim]

How does Apple not catch this? I feel like the review team's main functions are automated and the actual humans are only there to deal with its f*ck-ups.

Without knowing more details, it's hard to see why Apple would 'catch' this. Unless it's doing something illegal, what's the issue? There are millions of absolutely crap apps on the App Store - this is just one more.

 

[MysticCow]

Funny they are calling it ChatGPT Pro. What a scam.

And to an average (read: STUPID) person, they will download it and get charged every week. Then fuss and fume about how they were "taken by that horrible company."

Not defending Apple here. They need to make those walls higher in their garden to prevent this garbage. This is just as much their fault. This simply proved why app stores (all of them) need work. Apple needs to refund ASAP if they haven't already. Apple needs to simply not pay that premium to the scam developer. Apple needs to "pull an Epic" and kick them out.

HOWEVER...consumers that don't do good or good enough research are just asking to have terrible things happen against their will.

 

[jimbobb24]

Is the app as politically biased as the website?

 

[rpmurray]

Makes me wish Apple would let us side-load so that we could download less sketchy apps.

 

[Ethosik]

Makes no sense how this one got through Apple's review process. Sketchyness written all over it.

People want as fast as possible app reviews. Then act all surprised when this stuff isn’t caught. What we need is weeks or longer for app reviews.

 

[Ethosik]

I mean yeah Apple let this one slide, they're not perfect, but if they're forced to allow sideloading then there will be no way to ban an app like this once it gets found out.

Not sure why people are giving you thumbs down. You are correct. People just want to open iOS and don’t think for one minute about the side effects.

 

[Ethosik]

And that's why we don't want to have third party app stores. That's why we pay 30% of our revenue as a commission. So that we have actual qualit... oh wait nevermind

More app stores would prevent this? It will make stuff like this worse.

 

[Ethosik]

Do you understand that OpenAI offers paid licenses for anyone (including this app) to use their API? You and I could do the same exact thing

Pricing

Simple and flexible. Only pay for what you use.

openai.com

I will agree with you that the app name could be trademark violation

So this IS a legit App? Then nothing to discuss here. People should look at your posts before confusing the whole “App Store is a mess” drama.

Name and pricing is up to the app developer. But this whole thread is discussing it like it’s a full on scam app.

 

[SnappleRumors]

I’ve been using this app extensivley. It is not a “fake app”. The results it provides have been outstanding. All indications point to it is using the official OpenAI’s APIs

I’m curious…what do you use it for?

 

[howywood]

How Apple is allowing these apps on the App Store is shocking to me

work from home policy gets work from home quality control

 

[t0rqx]

As long as it brings in good money, Apple will have no problem with a sketchy malicious app. Refer to the article where Phil Schiller wanted the App Store to be a safe haven for its users, but some new graduates focussing on the revenue only.

It shows as people rarely go and discover new apps like they used to.

 

[Mousse]

$8 a week?

Even Adobe and MS don't gouge us for that much.

If ChatGPT is free on the Internet, this $7.99 app is highly suspect.

You'll find a lot of scam apps on the AppStore and PlayStore. Stuff like translation apps that charges $5 or so a month. There a plenty of free translation apps from reputable developers and free online translators.

Caveat Emptor.

How does Apple not catch this? I feel like the review team's main functions are automated and the actual humans are only there to deal with its f*ck-ups.

So Apple has a team of Winston Wolfe?

I want join the Wolfe Pack.😎

 

[compwiz1202]

And to an average (read: STUPID) person, they will download it and get charged every week. Then fuss and fume about how they were "taken by that horrible company."

Not defending Apple here. They need to make those walls higher in their garden to prevent this garbage. This is just as much their fault. This simply proved why app stores (all of them) need work. Apple needs to refund ASAP if they haven't already. Apple needs to simply not pay that premium to the scam developer. Apple needs to "pull an Epic" and kick them out.

HOWEVER...consumers that don't do good or good enough research are just asking to have terrible things happen against their will.

I blame both sides. I think that the paid period should only be allowed for monthly or annually. Trial can be whatever, but the paid portion should be monthly or annually

 

[Red Oak]

I’m curious…what do you use it for?

Using it with my daughter to help write college admission letters

This thing is no joke