App Store Reject

Guideline 5.6.3

Guideline 5.6.3 - Legal: Discovery Fraud — Fake Reviews and Manipulated Rankings

High RiskHardTypical Fix: 1-3 days0 Reports
Also known as:App engaged in discovery fraud to manipulate rankingsArtificially inflating reviews or ratingsUsing third-party services to manipulate chart positionsIncentivizing reviews with in-app rewardsKeyword stuffing or using competitor names in metadata

Our Take

Apple is rejecting your app (or removing it from the App Store) because it engaged in discovery fraud — artificially manipulating App Store search rankings, charts, or reviews. Under guideline 5.6.3, developers must not engage in dishonest behavior including: purchasing fake reviews, using bots or paid services to inflate download numbers, incentivizing reviews (offering in-app rewards for leaving reviews), keyword stuffing in metadata, or using competitor names as keywords. This is one of the most serious rejections because it can result in your developer account being terminated, not just the app being rejected. Apple uses automated systems to detect review manipulation and ranking fraud, and they have become increasingly sophisticated. Common detection triggers include: a sudden spike in 5-star reviews with similar language, reviews from accounts with no download history, download patterns that don't match organic growth curves, or metadata stuffed with competitor names. If this rejection comes as a removal of a live app, the situation is more urgent. Apple may have already flagged your account, and repeated violations can lead to permanent account termination. The key is to immediately stop all fraudulent activities and cooperate fully with Apple.

Resolution Guide

01

**Stop all fraudulent activity immediately** — Cancel any paid review services, bot services, or download manipulation campaigns. Contact any third-party marketing agencies and instruct them to cease.


02

**Remove incentivized review mechanisms** — If your app offers rewards (coins, premium features, discounts) for leaving reviews, remove this functionality entirely. The only approved review prompt is Apple's SKStoreReviewController.


03

**Clean up metadata** — Remove competitor names from keywords. Remove irrelevant popular search terms. Ensure your title, subtitle, and keywords accurately describe your app's functionality.


04

**Respond to Apple via Resolution Center** — Write a detailed, honest response explaining: (a) what happened, (b) what you've done to stop it, (c) what measures are in place to prevent recurrence. Take responsibility rather than deflecting.


05

**Use SKStoreReviewController** — Replace any custom review prompts with Apple's `SKStoreReviewController.requestReview()`, which is the only approved way to prompt for reviews.


06

**Audit third-party marketing** — If you use marketing agencies, review their practices and ensure none are engaging in App Store manipulation on your behalf.

Prevention

  • Only use SKStoreReviewController for review prompts
  • Never purchase reviews, downloads, or rankings
  • Use accurate, descriptive metadata
  • Monitor third-party marketing agencies for compliance
  • Grow organically through ASO best practices and paid ads (Apple Search Ads is the approved channel)

    • Example Rejection Email

    From:Apple App Review Team
    Subject:Guideline 5.6.3 - Legal: Discovery Fraud — Fake Reviews an
    Guideline 5.6.3 - Legal - Discovery Fraud Your app has been found to engage in dishonest or fraudulent activity to manipulate App Store discovery, including but not limited to: - Artificially inflating reviews or ratings. - Using third-party services to manipulate rankings or chart positions. - Incentivizing users to leave reviews in exchange for in-app rewards. - Using competitor names or unrelated popular terms in keywords. This is a violation of the Apple Developer Program License Agreement. Next Steps: Please immediately cease all fraudulent activity. Remove any incentivized review mechanisms from your app. Update your metadata to remove keyword stuffing or competitor names. Respond via the Resolution Center with a detailed explanation of the activity and the steps taken to prevent future violations. Please note that repeated violations of this guideline may result in the removal of your app and termination of your Apple Developer Program membership.

    Consider Appealing

    Appeal only if you genuinely did not engage in the alleged behavior — e.g., a competitor submitted fake reviews targeting your app, or a third-party marketing agency acted without your knowledge. Provide evidence of your innocence and a detailed plan to prevent recurrence. If you did engage in fraud, do not appeal — comply immediately and cooperate fully.

    Generate Appeal

    Before & After

    Before — Rejected

    App prompts 'Rate us 5 stars to unlock premium stickers!'; keywords include competitor app names; developer purchased 500 reviews from a review farm

    After — Approved

    Custom review prompt replaced with SKStoreReviewController; keywords cleaned to only describe actual app features; all paid review services cancelled; detailed compliance response sent to Apple via Resolution Center

    What changed: Discovery fraud is one of the few violations that can get your entire developer account terminated. Full, immediate compliance is the only path.

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