Apple on Tuesday shared several statistics in an effort to inform customers how the App Store protects users from fraudulant transactions and developers, providing a safe way to download and purchase apps.
While Apple is attempting to get the public on its side after a U.S. judge last month ordered the Cupertino firm to allow developers of iPhone apps to display links or buttons that guide users to outside sources to make purchases. However, it should be noted that Apple has traditionally released these types of statistics in the May-June timeframe for the last five years.
Key statistics shared by Apple include:
- The App Store has blocked more than $9 billion in fraudulent transactions over the last five years, more than $2 billion in 2024 alone.
- Apple shut down more than 146,000 developer accounts over fraud concerns in 2024.
- Apple also rejected more than 711 million customer account creations in 2024, while deactivating nearly 129 million customer accounts.
- Over the past month, Apple has blocked close to 4.6 million attempts to install or launch apps distributed illicity outside both the App Store and approved third-party marketplaces.
- Apple rejected more than 1.9 million of the more than 7.7 million App Store submissions reviewed in 2024 for failing to meet the company’s standards for security, reliability, and user experience, including for privacy violations or fraud concerns.
- In 2024, Apple removed more than 37,000 apps for fraudulent activity.
- In 2024, Apple removed more than 143 million fraudulent ratings and reviews from the App Store.
- In 2024, Apple identified nearly 4.7 million stolen credit cards and banned over 1.6 million accounts from transacting again.
Several more statistics are list in Apple’s press release.
Apple has also published an updated support document that explains how Apple provides a range of tools and resources to help users make informed decisions about which apps to download, make purchases safely, and report suspicious activity.
