Title: Mistaken 4.3(a) “Spam/Copycat” Flag → 3.2(f) Termination — Seeking Guidance on Reinstatement
Hi everyone,
I’m an independent developer and I believe my account was escalated to termination because of a misunderstanding around Guideline 4.3(a) – Design – Spam and 4.1 – Design – Copycats. I want to explain the full timeline so I can get advice on how to present this correctly in the “Re-instate a terminated membership” request.
1. What I submitted I submitted an app called “Anime Jigsaw: Waifu Puzzles.” The idea was simple: it’s a jigsaw puzzle app, but I wanted to make it more relaxing by combining anime/waifu themed puzzle images with built-in lo‑fi music. So the concept I was aiming for was: puzzle + themed art + calming music, not just another generic jigsaw clone.
2. First rejection Apple rejected it under 4.3(a) – Design – Spam and also mentioned 4.1 – Copycats. The exact wording in App Store Connect said my app’s binary, metadata and/or concept was similar to apps that were previously submitted by a terminated Apple Developer Program account. They also reminded me that resubmitting similar or repackaged apps makes it harder for users to discover new apps.
At this point I was confused, because I do not own or control any terminated developer account. I wrote the code myself. So my first answer inside App Store Connect tried to clarify the unique part: anime‑style jigsaw + lo‑fi music to create a “relaxing puzzle session.”
3. Where the problem started When I replied, I accidentally selected the same build (1.0.2) again. I thought I was only replying to the reviewer in the same thread. But from Apple’s side it now looked like: the app was warned for spam/repackaged → developer sends the same binary and concept again → violation not fixed. Because of that, the system can easily read this as “attempt to bypass or evade review.”
4. Second message from Apple Apple repeated 4.3(a) with exactly the same explanation: they still saw a similar binary/metadata/concept to a previously terminated account. So even though my text explanation was different, my actual uploaded build was not different. This is on me — I understand now that for 4.3/4.1 cases, textual explanation is not enough. You must show the difference in the binary, assets, screenshots, name and description.
5. Escalation to 3.2(f) After these repeated submissions, I received the more serious mail: my developer membership (or an account associated with me) had been used for dishonest or fraudulent activity under Section 3.2(f). The reason they gave was basically: “after multiple resubmissions, the guideline violations remain unresolved.” From their point of view this is a pattern similar to re‑packaging or circulating a template that had already been rejected.
6. Why I believe this was not dishonest
- I am a single indie dev. There is no group of accounts behind me.
- I did not try to resubmit for a banned seller.
- My mistake was operational: I replied with the same build, so it kept triggering the spam signal.
- I really thought clarifying “this is a puzzle app + lo‑fi music” would be enough, but that doesn’t prove originality in their system.
7. What I plan to tell Apple in the reinstatement form
- I acknowledge that re‑submitting the same build in the same thread made it look like spam.
- I will upload a completely new binary (or even a new bundle ID) so the reviewer can actually see a changed app.
- I will replace or document all puzzle assets to show they are original / licensed / generated and not taken from a terminated account.
- I will rewrite the App Store metadata so it doesn’t look like another anime puzzle clone and so it highlights the “relaxing session” feature.
- I will not re‑submit small incremental changes to a previously rejected build. I will only submit again when the violation is actually fixed.
8. What I’m asking the community
- Has anyone been flagged as “similar to a terminated account” even though they had only one account?
- Is choosing the same build during the reply flow enough to make it look like 4.3(a) spam?
- What level of asset/source proof did you send to convince App Review that the app is fully your own work?
I respect Apple’s need to keep the App Store clean, but in this case I believe the escalation happened because my resubmission did not show the changes they were asking for, not because I was trying to cheat the system. Any guidance or examples from people who successfully explained this would be really helpful. Thanks.