Windows Store Cracking Down on Scam Apps

Pictured above: Example of blatant spam that was previously allowed in the Windows Store.

With tech blogs all over the internet proclaiming that the Windows Store is a gathering place for scam artists and fake app developers, it appears the execs at Microsoft have finally had enough. After various scandals involving fake/fraudulent apps in the Windows Store, Microsoft is putting its foot down to get rid of existing scam apps and prevent more from entering into the marketplace.

A couple weeks ago HowtoGeek published a review of just how bad the Window Store had gotten, leading to an influx of reader's chiming in within the comments sections at such a rate that apparently Microsoft took notice of the backlash that quickly spread on social networks. Of course that wasn't the only site talking about the problem. Surprisingly, within less than a month Microsoft has removed more than 1,500 apps from the market. The General Manager of Microsoft's Windows Apps department, Todd Brix, has stated that the Windows Store will be strictly enforcing all of its policies from now on.

Not a New Problem

Perhaps the most alarming part of all this is that the problem has been going on for quite a while now; back in January 2012 there were reports of a fake version of Spotify, leading many skeptics to wonder just how stringent the approval process really is. Unfortunately, many users have been tricked into paying for fake/impostor apps that don't do what they're supposed to (or in some cases do nothing at all), and although each purchase represents a seemingly trivial amount of money, a large volume of downloads can quickly fatten the pockets of fraudsters.

The Beginning of the Cleanup

Earlier this year Microsoft made some important changes to the Windows Store app certification requirements, but there are still many apps that were already available before the guidelines were put in place, so the challenge now is removing the existing scam apps while also preventing the entry of new fake/scam apps. Be forewarned, Microsoft has just started cracking down so there are still plenty left, so be cautious when downloading content from the Windows Store.

Duplicate Icons Tricking Users Into Downloading Impostor Apps

One important policy that is violated on a particularly widespread basis is the use of duplicate icons that are tricking users and downloaders into buying phonies that pose as popular apps. For example, various fake VLC apps have been added to the Windows Store lately, most of which used VLC's well-known construction cone symbol to gain credibility.

It had literally gotten to the point where you would search for "VLC media Player" or "iTunes" in the Windows Store and find yourself sifting through a haystack of fakes. We're not quite sure how such apps were certified (especially so many) and allowed into the market to begin with, but it is clear that Microsoft is going to have to seriously restructure its app screening and approval processes.

Catching Up With The Competition

In comparison to the competition, the Windows Store has a lot of problems to sort out. Fake/scam apps are relatively rare in the Google Play Store, although they do pop up here and there – a couple months back a fake anti-virus for Android hit the top spot in the Google Play Store. With a huge part of a device's usefulness coming from its interaction with third-party apps, maintaining a well-managed app store should be a top priority, for the sake of the entire Windows Phone mobile operating system.

It's bad enough that the Google Play Store and Apple App Store already have way more apps to choose from, the fact that their apps are also safer gives them a massive edge in the eye's of most consumers. With Microsoft switching much of its focus to hardware development and manufacturing, it seems the tech giant is going to have to take a closer look at the software side of its operations once again, at least until the Windows Store is as safe as other app stores.