iOS developer | Swift | SwiftUI
Joined June 2020
- Tweets834
- Following895
- Followers1.3K
- Likes541
Hector retweeted
Apple, this deserves closer look and review.
These Apps are impersonating @MicrosoftTeams and @Zoom by calling them "Join for" Teams/Zoom.
- Both apps use same naming format < Join (Verb) for Teams/Zoom >
- Apps are misleading users into downloading, by using similar looking App icons, Graphics, trademarked terms, colour schemes, screenshot formats and text.
- At one point the Teams app literally had "Microsoft Teams" in title and screenshots. App review team can confirm this on their end.
- All updates on both apps are submitted for review with "critical bug fixes" as review notes, to bypass or subvert the regular app review process.
- Both apps show hard paywall and ask for rating right at launch so users can't realise that its not an official app before paying
- There are hundreds of user reviews where users are bashing actual @MicrosoftTeams and @Zoom which shows that these apps are misleading users.
App Review Guidelines: 4.1(a), 4.1(b), 4.1(c), 5.2.1, 2.3.7, 2.3.3, 2.3.9, 2.3.1(a), 5.2.2
Developer Code of Conduct: 5.6, 5.6.2
@Apple @AppStore
Apps 🔍:
Teams: apps.apple.com/us/app/join-f…
Zoom: apps.apple.com/us/app/join-f…
#MacAppStore #AppStore #teams #microsoft #zoom #ScamApps #ConsumerProtection #CyberSecurity
Hector retweeted
This is how I used to build iOS apps when I first started out.
We are not the same 💀
Hector retweeted
Everyone is handing thier ASO to AI agents this week. Before you do, check 4 things yourself. Takes 10 min in App Store Connect:
- impressions by source. Search or Browse? if search is flat, keywords are your problem
- tap-through. impressions to product page views. low = icon, title, first screenshot
- conversion. page views to installs. low = screenshots and reviews, not keywords
- deletions. people leaving in the first days. the promise and the app dont match
If your leak is #3, no keyword agent on earth fixes it. It just sends more people into the leak....
Agents are cool, I am not hating. But they pour traffic in, they dont tell you where it leaks.
This is exactly why I am building FunnelHound, to see all 4 on one screen instead of 5 tabs.
Which one is your weakest? Drop it below and I'll tell you what I would try first :)
#buildinpublic
Hector retweeted
got the same "happy" message 3 weeks ago
1 app deleted. account pending termination
no details, just 10 potential problems (but we won't eloborate)
i messaged them 5 times = 0 response
really cool strategy to ban every indie developer :)
All of my iOS apps were removed and the account is in pending termination.
It's been almost 3 weeks, I have contacted support about 5 times now, they say they don't have any visibility and can't help.
I have not evaded the review process.
If you have a contact at apple, I'd be very grateful.
If your account was suspended, please DM me any insights you have into what will happen.
I'll appreciate any retweets too!
@RevenueCat
Hector retweeted
All of my iOS apps were removed and the account is in pending termination.
It's been almost 3 weeks, I have contacted support about 5 times now, they say they don't have any visibility and can't help.
I have not evaded the review process.
If you have a contact at apple, I'd be very grateful.
If your account was suspended, please DM me any insights you have into what will happen.
I'll appreciate any retweets too!
@RevenueCat
Hector retweeted
🚨 Mac App Store FRAUD — Caught in 4K
Neural Techlabs claims their app is running “GPT-5.4”
But inside the app? It literally responds:
👉 “Powered by OpenAI’s GPT-4.1 family”
This isn’t a mistake — it’s blatant deception.
📉 What’s really happening:
• Marketing: GPT-5.4 (premium, expensive)
• Reality: GPT-4.1 mini/nano (cheap, cost-optimized)
Users are being baited with high-end AI claims and served downgraded models.
And this isn’t their first time 👇
Neural Techlabs has already been linked to repeated scam apps impersonating AI brands on the Mac App Store
⚠️ Pattern:
• Fake / inflated model claims
• Misuse of OpenAI branding
• Re-uploading deceptive apps after removals
This is systematic App Store abuse — not a one-off.
Apple review is failing. Users are paying for something they’re not actually getting.
App Link: apps.apple.com/app/ai-chat-b…
Hector retweeted
I am 110% sure that app reviewers are taking kick backs.
Look at that misleading app icon 🤯
Who is approving these apps? @AppStore @Apple
#1 app on mac AppStore in business category is in violation of at least these app review guidelines:
4.1 (c)
2.3.9
5.2.1
2.3.7
Developer code of conduct:
4.1(b)
5.6.3
You search for “google chrome” and the first thing you see is this app. Thats clearly misleading users for actual google chrome.
Hector retweeted
‼️ Indie developers are idiots. They hunt niche, develop apps and then work their asses off to market them.
Its very simple, just infringe on @AnthropicAI and make quick $$$ fool innocent users. Lets see if @Apple @AppStore employees are actually on X and see posts.
Or they are just sell outs?
apps.apple.com/pk/app/ai-cha…
Hector retweeted
🚨 Mac App Store FRAUD — Caught in 4K
Neural Techlabs claims their app is running “GPT-5.4”
But inside the app?
It literally responds:
👉 “Powered by OpenAI’s GPT-4.1 family”
This isn’t a mistake — it’s blatant deception.
📉 What’s really happening:
• Marketing: GPT-5.4 (premium, expensive)
• Reality: GPT-4.1 mini/nano (cheap, cost-optimized)
Users are being baited with high-end AI claims and served downgraded models.
And this isn’t their first time 👇
Neural Techlabs has already been linked to repeated scam apps impersonating AI brands on the Mac App Store
⚠️ Pattern:
• Fake / inflated model claims
• Misuse of OpenAI branding
• Re-uploading deceptive apps after removals
This is systematic App Store abuse — not a one-off.
Apple review is failing.
Users are paying for something they’re not actually getting.
This needs immediate takedown.
App Link: apps.apple.com/app/ai-chat-y…
@OpenAI @OpenAIDevs @OpenAINewsroom @ChatGPTapp
#MacAppStore #AI #Security #Fraud #Apple
Hector retweeted
🚨 Mac App Store FRAUD — Caught in 4K
Neural Techlabs claims their app is running “GPT-5.4”
But inside the app?
It literally responds:
👉 “Powered by OpenAI’s GPT-4.1 family”
This isn’t a mistake — it’s blatant deception.
📉 What’s really happening:
• Marketing: GPT-5.4 (premium, expensive)
• Reality: GPT-4.1 mini/nano (cheap, cost-optimized)
Users are being baited with high-end AI claims and served downgraded models.
And this isn’t their first time 👇
Neural Techlabs has already been linked to repeated scam apps impersonating AI brands on the Mac App Store
⚠️ Pattern:
• Fake / inflated model claims
• Misuse of OpenAI branding
• Re-uploading deceptive apps after removals
This is systematic App Store abuse — not a one-off.
Apple review is failing.
Users are paying for something they’re not actually getting.
App Link: apps.apple.com/app/ai-chat-b…
Hector retweeted
🚨 Mac App Store FRAUD — Caught in 4K
Neural Techlabs claims their app is running “GPT-5.4”
But inside the app? It literally responds:
👉 “Powered by OpenAI’s GPT-4.1 family”
This isn’t a mistake — it’s blatant deception.
📉 What’s really happening:
• Marketing: GPT-5.4 (premium, expensive)
• Reality: GPT-4.1 mini/nano (cheap, cost-optimized)
Users are being baited with high-end AI claims and served downgraded models.
And this isn’t their first time 👇Neural Techlabs has already been linked to repeated scam apps impersonating AI brands on the Mac App Store
⚠️ Pattern:
• Fake / inflated model claims
• Misuse of OpenAI branding
• Re-uploading deceptive apps after removals
This is systematic App Store abuse — not a one-off.
Apple review is failing. Users are paying for something they’re not actually getting.
App Link: apps.apple.com/app/ai-chat-b…
Hector retweeted
High time you start writing about other similar scam apps as well and raise awareness.
Selective targeting raises questions as well.
Why is it that whenever an app crosses the below mentioned app on AppStore on certain keywords, articles start popping up against that app?
Are you being paid to write these tweets and articles to save the interests of the app and developer mentioned below?
I wrote about it last time as well.
xitter.cf/hector_iosdev/status/1…
Ranking #1 #OpenAI AI Chatbot Scams on #macOS #Apple App Store
thedailytechfeed.com/new-clo…
#scam #chatgpt #appstore #fraud #cybercrime @OpenAI @Apple @AppStore @AppleSupport
Hector retweeted
Update on this:
Since this tweet the mentioned app has changed their app icon immediately about 8 hours ago.
Which shows that they were trying to infringe on @OpenAI app icon deceive users.
But they audacity, they have increased the size of “chatgpt” and “openai” in their screenshot even more to deceive users.
Someone from here definitely shared this tweet or informed them that this happening and they sent an update.
I still believe that someone from @AppStore review team is favouring this app. There is no way this can be approved.
Still no word on this from @9to5mac @arinwaichulis either.
apps.apple.com/us/app/ai-cha…
There's a new version of this post
Hector retweeted
A quick “chatgpt”search on AppStore before writing this would have shown you another app:
apps.apple.com/us/app/ai-cha…
This app is also using app icon similar to @OpenAI and was removed by apple during the recent cleanup by @AppStore , but was reinstated after 2 weeks. Which raises serious concerns regarding @AppStore ‘s review team’s integrity. I think the review team is rigged.
App uses hard paywall and forces users to start a paid plan, for something that users can use for free on the web.
Also, app is using the keywords “CHATGPT” and “OPENAI” in their first screenshot to deceive users.
I have been observing this niche from past 3 years now. Whenever an app surpasses neuraltechlab in keywords articles start popping up against that app but they never mention neuraltechlab.
This puts a question on the integrity and genuineness of the @9to5mac articles as well. If you researched properly before writing you would have mentioned this app as well @arinwaichulis
Not only this app, the mentioned developer is also infringing on @Googl ‘s @GeminiApp
Again a hard paywall here as well, forcing users to either pay or start a trial.
I think @AppStore should look into the integrity of their review team. And @9to5mac should cover the whole story instead of publishing half researched stories.
#AppStore #MacOS #AI #OpenAI #ScamAlert #AppReview #CyberSafety #ConsumerProtection #AppStoreSecurity #OpenAI #ChatGPT
