Pulled Pokémon app scam makes a fortune

The fake Pokémon iOS app, which Apple approved before it scammed customers across at least 15 countries, is likely to have made more than $10,000 in revenue.

Before being pulled last night, “Pokémon Yellow” had been rated by more than 1,300 paying customers in the US alone. The standard purchase-to-review ratio likely means several thousand copies of the $0.99 game were bought across the country.

Most user reviewers gave the lowest score possible and stated that the app didn’t work once purchased, but the Pokémon brand’s prominence lifted the title to second position in the App Store charts in the US.

The game was a hit internationally, ranking in the top three across Australia, Austria, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Luxembourg, New Zealand, Norway, the Philippines, Singapore, Sweden and the UK.

It is likely the title made far more than $10,000 in revenue.

Both Nintendo and The Pokémon Company, which jointly control the lucrative IP, have had no involvement in the scam.

The fake app’s developer, called Daniel Burford, has yet to be paid by Apple. Develop has contacted Apple to discuss what the company will do with the illegitimately sought revenues.