Urgent Help Needed: Apple Developer Account Deleted Due to App Name Similarity Issue

I received a notification that my account will be marked for deletion after 30 days, even though I have no connection or affiliation with any other account that was previously removed for violations. Apple claims that I am involved in manipulation or have links to a violating account, but I genuinely have no idea what this is about.

My app was published on the App Store for over two months without issues. However, after submitting an update, it was suddenly rejected under Guideline 4.3 (Spam). All previous updates were approved normally, and I did not make any significant changes that would justify this rejection.

I feel this is a misunderstanding and would appreciate clarification. I’m a legitimate developer and just want to understand what went wrong.

I can't find a solution in any way

Is there a phone number to contact Apple? I believe that the problem will be corrected by talking about the problem.

The issue hasn't been finalized yet, but Joel from Apple Support contacted me and said he'd look into it in detail.

I'll update this in the future. Thank you Apple Support.

My case number is 102603989433

The problem persists, it has not been resolved yet. I am waiting for a response from the Apple review team. I will share the process with you for those who will experience the same issue in the future.

I received an email regarding 'Developer Account Assistance Request'. Date: June 26 at 00:15.

The email is as follows:

Hello Oğuzcan,

This is Jaden with Developer Support. Thank you for contacting us. I understand you want to appeal the closing of your account.

If you believe the review doesn't accurately represent your app and its compliance with the App Store Review Guidelines, you can request an appeal by submitting a Rejection Appeal form.

After the App Review Board receives your request, they'll investigate your appeal based on the details you provide. When they reach a decision, they'll notify you of the outcome.

If you have additional questions related to this request, please refer to case number 102629714016.

Best regards,

Jaden

Developer Support

I replied immediately:

Hello,

I see that the account was closed due to a misunderstanding. I have been creating applications for the Apple ecosystem for years without violating any policies. I have sent it back for review many times because I could not understand why it was rejected during the review process of an application, and my account was closed because of this. Please reconsider this situation, since the review process used general definitions, I did not realize that there was another application with a very similar name. My users started complaining that they could not access my application anymore. I promise that the same problem will not happen again. Please review the issue.

Thank you

I received an email from 'Developer Support' Date: July 28, 18:17:

Hello Oğuzcan,

My name is Joel, and I’m a senior Advisor with Developer Support. Your case has been given to me for further handling, and I’m happy to follow up with you today.

I understand that you have initiated a conversation in our developer forums.

Please, provide us more information and show us the email that you received, so we will assist your better.

Please, reply to the received email for obtaining more information as the appropriate team will be able to assist you better.

Please, reply to this email if you have further questions. Your case number is: 102603989433.

Have a great day.

Best Regards,

Joel

Developer Support

I replied:

Hello Joel,

Thank you for contacting me; this matter is very important to me.

I explained this in detail on the Apple Developer Forum, you can check it out: https://developer.apple.com/forums/thread/793704

I've attached a few emails.

My case number is: 102603989433

New mail, July 29th at 2:41 PM:

Dear Oguzcan,

To participate in the Apple Developer Program, you must submit a request to reinstate the original membership.

Please provide specific reasons why Apple should consider reinstating your membership in a response to this email.

We'll make sure your request is reviewed by the appropriate teams.

Sincerely, Developer Support

My Reply:

Dear Developer Support Team,

I hope this email finds you well. My name is Oğuzcan, and I am writing in response to your request for specific reasons why my original Apple Developer Program membership should be considered for reinstatement. My case number is 102603989433.

First, I would like to express my gratitude for your attention to this matter. I fully understand the importance of maintaining the integrity of the App Store, and I have always strived to comply with Apple’s guidelines and policies.

To provide context, allow me to summarize the events leading to the deletion of my account:

• Approximately four months ago, I developed an app and submitted it for review via TestFlight. Initially, it was rejected due to technical issues, including inadequate screenshots, app description, and insufficient permission explanations for features such as location, camera, and microphone. I diligently addressed all feedback and resubmitted the app.

• Subsequently, the app was rejected again, this time citing general policy violations related to copyright issues. The rejection reasons were vague, and I struggled to identify the exact issue. To resolve this, I removed all media content (videos, photos, etc.) from the app and resubmitted it approximately 7-8 times, but each submission was rejected for the same unclear reasons.

• Eventually, I received a notice stating that my account was scheduled for deletion within 30 days. To prevent harm to my account, I deleted the app from my account within this period, effectively abandoning the project. Despite this, my account was still deleted.

• Additionally, since I had deleted the app, I was unable to view responses from Apple’s team through the forms I submitted, which made communication challenging.

• Later, I discovered that another app on the App Store had a name very similar to mine. For example, my app was named “AB.cdefgh,” while the existing app was named “ABcdefgh,” with the only difference being a “.” I believe this naming similarity may have been mistaken for a copyright issue, but I was not provided with clear guidance on this matter at the time.

As a dedicated developer, I have been building iOS applications for years, always striving to create high-quality apps that fully comply with Apple’s guidelines. The naming similarity was entirely unintentional, and I am committed to taking all necessary steps to avoid such issues in the future, such as renaming the app or providing additional documentation as needed.

The deletion of my account has significantly impacted my ability to serve my users, who frequently inquire about the iOS versions of my apps. As a legitimate developer, my presence on the App Store is critical to continuing my work and delivering value to my user base.

I respectfully request the reinstatement of my original Apple Developer Program membership. If reinstatement is not possible, I would greatly appreciate guidance on how to enroll in a new developer program so I can resume my development activities as soon as possible.

I assure you that all future submissions will fully adhere to Apple’s guidelines and policies. I am prepared to take every precaution to ensure compliance, particularly regarding app naming or any other potential policy concerns.

I am happy to provide any additional information or clarification required to resolve this matter. Please let me know the next steps I should take.

Thank you again for your time and assistance. I look forward to your positive response.

Best regards,

Oğuzcan

New Mail: 12 ağustos saat 10:50:

Hello Oğuzcan,

To participate in the Apple Developer Program, you must submit a request to reinstate the original membership at:

https://developer.apple.com/contact/app-store/

To send your request to the appropriate team, choose “re-instate a terminated developer program” from the menu.

Your team information is:

Team Name: Oguzcan Gunduz Team ID: TWQJAMZRM2

If you recently submitted a reinstatement request, you don't need to send another. We'll contact you when an update is available.

Sincerely, Developer Support

I filled out and submitted the form as suggested by the support team. I'll continue to share the process with you...

The problem persists, and I haven't received a response yet. No one seems to care...

Date 1 September

There is no improvement yet, I sent mail again today.