Playstore & flag as inappopriate (sent around in circles) - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: MrMobodies
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 23, 2025, 01:41:50 am
content: Trying to report some Playstore malware, one that was posing as a "system update" service that got installed on my dad's phone without his knowledge that I found earlier and after looking further into them just now with reviews confirming it's nature and I find I am sent round in a circles trying to do so.I wonder am I doing this incorrectly.Just found this:https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/gethelp?sjid=16228362072442542627-EUHours of operation 9am to 6pm so later I'll report it.

author: ataradov
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 23, 2025, 03:26:01 am
content: There is a ton of malware on the play store, they don't care. They might even like it, since they often pay for advertising to appear before real results.

author: MrMobodies
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 23, 2025, 04:29:45 am
content: Advertising is one thing, exposing users to malware and trojans and possible phishing where the scammers assume control over the user's phone from an APP that Google approved in their Playstore that starts to coerce, force and/or install things without the user's knowledge and do what they like is another. Very shameful of Google.It's in relation to this thread.https://www.eevblog.com/forum/security/playstore-malware-wordtrip-system-update-for-android-arum-communications-moreI mean ads could harass people with more ads but when it comes to hacking their phones and assuming control where it installs over things that's like going back to the malware days around the 2010's except they have more control over your phone than you do through their malware whilst Google restricts the user.So everything about "safety" and "approval" with these "apps" don't mean NOTHING.

author: ataradov
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 23, 2025, 04:34:43 am
content: Yes, it means absolutely nothing. The only protections they can guarantee is that all play store apps must request permissions to access certain functionality. But those are not nearly granular enough and even without any permissions apps can do quite a bit of damage.And I don't think they are equipped to deal with reports. If they actually reviewed them, it would be overwhelming amount of work.If you search now for almost any open source project, the first links are almost guaranteed to be ads with malware. They know it perfectly well and still allow those ads.

author: JPortici
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 23, 2025, 05:29:24 am
content: The only thing that may work is if you pay a bot farm to report en masse. Seriously.They give no shit.There is no human being you can talk to.All email responses are autogenerated, or the people put there are unable to read english

author: RJSV
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 23, 2025, 06:02:51 am
content: TOLD JYA !I got the big "poo poow" blow off, with Google complaints, here on the forum. Usual response, (how to handle that) when a person has been issuing warnings, and been blown-off, is to wait, passively, for the doubters to have their own 'come to Jesus' realization.But one reply here mentions having a real human contact, within Google. It would be nice to let a Google spokesperson try to defend or just explain stuff. There's a lot of mistrust building.

author: Ranayna
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 23, 2025, 07:15:37 am
content: I have a feeling that this will only work in the app, and not on the website.But in this case, i wouldn't chose that way to report anyway. At a first glance, these apps seem to be violating the "Google Play Developer Policy"There is an option to report that just one below the one you have expanded on your right screenshot.For me, that leads me to this form:https://support.google.com/googleplay/android-developer/contact/policy_violation_report?sjid=17343657573748205575-EUYour link will likelt be different if you are not in the EU.I have a feeling that these reports *may* have more teeth.

author: ataradov
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 24, 2025, 03:49:58 am
content: Here is a topical video from Legal Eagle trying to fight imposter channels:A literal prominent lawyer can't do anything. What chance do regular people have? Google simply does not care. It is even hard to quantify the degree to what they don't care.

author: RJSV
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 24, 2025, 06:03:45 am
content: I get, occasionally, a (brief) glimpse of suspicious modes, when transitioning, in or transitioning out, of some YouTube channel, usually.Like, for example:"xyz' Armor has stopped running ". flashes briefly. Wait, what ?OR"Play store is using the battery". Wait, uh, what ?Out of nowhere, as I was just doing regular stuff.

author: JPortici
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 24, 2025, 07:17:56 am
content: Quote from: ataradov on September 24, 2025, 03:49:58 amAs i said, hire a bot farm and report en masse.Our competitors did this to us and they shut down our most popular app citing a violation of a point of the terms and conditions (so vague that can be interpreted in a million ways): There can't be an app that is too simillar to another one.No shit! It was the "Pro" version of our app. Every time we tried to explain the same answer always came back: please look at the terms and conditions, in particular this section.I sent a long list of other apps doing the same asking what was different that made them compliant. The answer was: I can't comment for other apps, but if you think they violate the terms and condition feel free to report them.Waited a month, tried again, same joust, same exact words. Only a different name at the bottom of the email. Once you get flagged you can't do anything.

author: RJSV
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 24, 2025, 07:56:57 am
content: My attitude is along the lines of just regular, practical consumer protection. But, when any direct complaint is lacking, there is no initiative (by my imagined 'regulators'). In my view, they could (should really) see the unfair, or potential LAWFUL violation, but they (the official regulators) act blind, and totally dependant on first receiving complaint(s).O.K. I clicked on a music video, only to have the system re-direct my screen to 'Amazon Tunes'. O.k. f*** it where's the dismiss button, or 'x' to escape Amazon distraction, and get back to my topic ? Can't find one.My point is, that's a very visible and 'find-able' trap or at least a headache for somebody not searching for 'Amazon Music'.But the (gov.) people are blind and no initiative, without a complaint to act on. (Or at least I can suppose that, even if it's mainly just attitude on their part."What part has been disproven ?". I loved that reply, when controversial consumer issue was mentioned, by a reporter.Nope, in some cases they (gov regulators) just shrug and utter:"Haven't received any complaints, that computer users get trapped there, (goaded to purchase Amazon Music). As if a complaint leads to something, some action...or even a refusal or denial (to investigate a screen that shows no way to exit).Seems valid on its own, without a valid, real person going to effort to describe a gripe, with computer marketed products.