The App Store blocked nearly $ 1.5 billion in fraudulent transactions in 2021 

Apple’s efforts keep the App Store a safe and reliable place where users can find and download apps, and developers can do what they do best: create.

Apple has released yet another press release in which it attempted to defend its strict (and often controversial) App Store policies.

According to the company, the App Store blocked “nearly $ 1.5 billion in fraudulent transactions in 2021”. Apple said this was made possible by a combination of App Store review, stringent in-app payment requirements, and more.

Apple said these anti-fraud efforts make the App Store “the safest place to find and download apps.” The company explained:

In 2021, Apple protected customers from nearly $ 1.5 billion in potentially fraudulent transactions and prevented more than 1.6 million risky and vulnerable apps and app updates from defrauding users.

Apple’s efforts to prevent and reduce App Store fraud require continuous monitoring and vigilance across multiple teams. From App Review to Discovery Fraud, Apple’s ongoing commitment to protecting users from app fraudulent activity demonstrates once again why independent and respected security experts have said the App Store is the safest place to find and download apps.

The company rejected more than 34,000 apps for hidden functionality and more than 157,000  spam or copycat apps,  343,000 apps were rejected for various privacy violations, and more than 800,000 fraudulent developer accounts were closed.

More than 170 million fake user accounts have been deactivated and 118 millionfraudulent account creation attempts have been denied. 155,000 malicious apps that attempted to circumvent the app review process by altering their functionality after approval were rejected or removed from the App Store. Additionally, 63,500 appscontaining illegal content have been blocked by Apple along with  more than 3.3 million apps illegally distributed through the Enterprise Developer Program.

Apple says the app review team helped more than 107,000 developers roll out their apps on the App Store in 2021, along with 835,000 new problem apps and 805,000 app updates that were rejected due to bugs.

When it comes to fraudulent ratings and reviews, Apple has detected and blocked over 94 million reviews and over 170 million ratings for failing to meet moderation standards. 610,000 additional reviews were removed after posting due to customer referrals.

The Cupertino giant has prevented more than 3.3 million stolen credit and debit cards from being used to make potentially fraudulent purchases, and 600,000 accounts have been banned from further transactions on the App Store.

Apple says it intends to continue working to detect fraudulent activity and accounts and prevent financial crimes in order to keep the App Store a “safe and reliable place for users to find and download apps.”