Apple iPhone Developer Booted from App Store for Fraud

Apple has removed more than 40 applications from its App Store after accusations of fraud were made against a developer.

During the July 3 weekend, accusations were made by other developers that Thuat Nguyen used fraud to catapult his software to the top of the ebook bestseller list. In response, Apple said it took the applications down.

"The developer Thuat Nguyen and his apps were removed from the App Store for violating the developer Program License Agreement, including fraudulent purchase patterns," Apple spokesperson Trudy Muller told eWEEK July 6.

Before they were removed, Nguyen's applications accounted for more than 40 of the top 50 ebooks on the list. Apple did not offer details as to how Nguyen was able to accomplish this, though there has been speculation that several iTunes accounts may have been hacked and used to make unauthorized purchases.

"Developers do not receive any iTunes confidential customer data when an app is downloaded," Muller said. "If your credit card or iTunes password is stolen and used on iTunes, we recommend that you contact your financial institution and inquire about canceling the card and issuing a chargeback for any unauthorized transactions.

"We also recommend that you change your iTunes account password immediately. For more information on best practices for password security, visit http://www.apple.com/support/itunes."