Apple stopped more than $2 billion in fraudulent transactions on its App Store in 2024, taking its five-year total beyond $9 billion.
This comes at a time when the tech giant has been warned to justify its hold on the app distribution ecosystem, especially after recent antitrust cases and a changing regulatory environment.
The numbers were released ahead of Apple’s Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC 2025), likely to strengthen the company’s argument that its tight control over app distribution is beyond business, it’s also about protecting users and developers from sophisticated fraud schemes.
In 2024 alone, Apple blocked nearly two million app submissions it identified as high-risk. That’s not just about fake games or copycat tools. We’re talking about apps that aimed to steal personal data, trick users into shady transactions, or impersonate legitimate software.
Many of these attempted to bypass Apple’s screening system through hidden features or manipulated review content.
Apple deactivated nearly 129 million customer accounts and rejected over 711 million attempts to create new ones in 2024. It also terminated 146,000 developer accounts over fraud cases and blocked another 139,000 from ever registering.
Apple says the threats don’t end on its own store. It stopped 4.6 million attempts to sideload apps from unauthorised sources, apps often loaded with malware or pirated content.
According to the company, over 10,000 such apps were already circulating on pirate storefronts, including versions of legitimate apps that had been tampered with to serve ads, run scams, or worse.
Apple’s position on this is blunt. “Pirated apps may appear harmless but can include dangerous modifications, malware, or tools to siphon data or money,” it warned. That’s a risk for any developer considering a move away from Apple’s ecosystem.
The company’s App Review process has also become more assertive. Last year alone, it reviewed over 7.7 million app submissions and rejected 1.9 million for failing to meet safety, privacy, or reliability standards. Around 400,000 apps were tossed out solely due to privacy violations.
Another 320,000 were found to be deceptive, spammy, or impersonating other apps. And 43,000 submissions were caught trying to hide extra functionality, features turned on only after passing review.
Fraudsters are targeting users in more personal ways too. In 2024, Apple flagged 4.7 million stolen credit cards and blocked 1.6 million accounts from making further purchases. It also removed 143 million fake reviews and ratings, giving honest developers a chance to compete fairly.
With the rise of alternative app stores in Europe under the Digital Markets Act, Apple is making a pointed case. The company is saying go it alone if you want, but understand what that means. “Without strong safeguards, developers risk seeing their own apps copied, resold, or modified on pirate platforms,” Apple says.
The company’s message is as much a warning as it is a defence of its 15–30% commission rates on in-app purchases. It claims this fee isn’t just about money, it also covers hosting, global distribution, fraud protection, subscription tools, and refunds.
For developers, especially small ones, that package might still outweigh the cost of handling fraud, customer support, and infrastructure alone.
