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3 min read
How to get a fake app removed from the App Store and Google Play
How to report an app impersonating your brand on the App Store and Google Play, which form to use, and what to do about fakes outside the stores.
ChainPatrol
To remove a fake app from the App Store, file Apple's App Store Content Dispute form with your trademark or copyright details. To remove one from Google Play, use Google's legal removal request for intellectual property, or Google Play's impersonation report if the app misleads users about its connection to you. Fake apps outside the official stores, on APK sites and lookalike download pages, are taken down like phishing sites.
Here's what each store does with a report and what to include. For ongoing coverage, see fake consumer apps.
Which route to use
Where the app is | Route | What happens |
|---|---|---|
Apple App Store | App Store Content Dispute form (intellectual property) | Apple usually contacts the developer and asks them to resolve it with you directly |
Google Play, using your trademark or copyright | Google's legal removal request, choosing Google Play and the intellectual property option | Google reviews the claim against your registration or copyright |
Google Play, misleading users about a connection to you | Google Play's impersonation report | Reviewed under Google Play's impersonation policy, no intellectual property claim needed |
APK sites and fake download pages | The site's host and registrar, plus browser blocklists | Handled like a phishing site |
What to include
The exact store link to the fake app, and the link to your official app.
Screenshots of the listing showing your name, logo, screenshots or description.
Your trademark registration number and jurisdiction, or proof you own the copyright in the copied content.
A plain statement of how the app misleads, for example "The listing uses our logo and name and claims to be our official app."
What to expect
Apple's process routes many disputes through the developer, so a response can take longer if the developer doesn't engage. Follow up, and file again with new evidence if the app is renamed or relisted. Google Play's routes depend on which policy the app breaks, so pick the form that matches the problem, since the wrong form can delay processing.
Fakes outside the stores
Many fake apps never reach an official store. They're shared as APK files or on pages made to look like a store listing. Report those pages to the host and registrar. Once a malicious website or phishing link is confirmed, ChainPatrol gets it flagged in 20+ wallets in about 5–10 minutes and in browsers in about 1–3 hours. Blocking applies to web domains and URLs; fake social profiles and chat accounts are removed through platform takedowns. See how to take down a phishing site.
Tell customers where the real app is
List your official app links on a page customers can check, and link to it from your website and support pages. See build a verify page customers can check.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a registered trademark to report a fake app?
A registration makes an intellectual property claim much stronger. Google Play's impersonation report doesn't require one.
Can I report several apps at once?
Apple's App Store dispute process allows multiple apps in one dispute. Check the current form for the limit.
What if the fake app is malware?
Report it as malware through the store's reporting option as well. Malicious apps can be removed under security policies even without an intellectual property claim.
See which fake apps are using your brand. Get a free scan, with results within 48 hours.
Sources
Accessed October 2026. Platform processes change; check each source for the latest.
Fakes of your brand already out there?
ChainPatrol finds them, blocks the links in wallets and browsers, and files the takedowns for you.
