iPhone Ratings Scam

NANAIMO - The tech world is buzzing over an alleged scam targeting iPhone users tonight - and there is a Nanaimo connection.
Apple - the makers of iPhone and iTouch - has pulled 1000 "apps" - programs developed for the handheld devices.

This - after a Chinese company was allegedly defrauding users downloading their software.

The whistle blower for the scam - a Nanaimo man.

It's a big news story online. A software company banished from iTunes. More than a thousand iPhone applications have disappeared. And it's all because of Nanaimo's own Timney.

Soon after Apple's iPhone came out on the market, third party software developers all over the world had the opportunity to build what are called iPhone apps - available for download at prices ranging from free to 10 dollars - programs for business, finance, games - even photography related programs - which is what Timney is most interested in.

But a couple of weeks ago, Timney discovered some apps that just didn't seem right.

For one thing, they seemed to be copycat or knockoffs of other programs. The other red flag - the fact they all had fantastic reviews.

It looked like the developer - a Chinese company called moniker had been rating their own apps - and presumably raking in the bucks.

Timney contacted a friend with contacts in Apple - within a week Apple acted. A thousand apps were taken off iTunes' App store - the developer banished.

For Timney, it's about keeping the community of iPhone users legitimate and scam free.

Category:

News & Politics

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• iPhone
• iTunes
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• Moniker
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