Copycat extensions to defraud unsuspecting users

[Aditya B]

I just discovered these copycat extensions that have copied the name and summary of my extension, and listed themselves as paid extensions. I am guessing the organisation behind them is trying to defraud unsuspecting users by getting them to purchase their version.

I haven't tested whether they just copied the extension listing, or if they have copied the code and functionality as well.

My extension is free-to-use with optional in-app supporter subscription, while all the fraudulent ones are purchase-to-use.

I have attached screenshots of the extensions in CWS.

Extension ID for the fraudulent extensions are:

onbkbhdiiliemmeaggbagoelfbnjfhhf

ppmfgcbapkaknhddjnlknglmjpnogedd

fjoojndgjjhidpoaakanfknepjjhcgmd

fjdhlkghifdnmacifbffabnhlfkkmokg

alfangoljialdmkfadkhjennloimnlfg

dmipcajlipgkgellillgpbkfiicpknjm

mjnjckcigclmeepiiialcadmljhjpdld

I would really appreciate if the extensions were removed, and probably, the developers banned from the store.

Cheers!

Adi

[Aditya B]

Although I didn't get a response here, or from the Dev Support form, most of the copycat extensions seem to have been removed from the store. Thanks a lot!

There is, however, still one of the duplicious extensions remaining: 

flkdafagjljndpkkejohifckdbpbcnhe

Posting about it here too in case someone from the CWS team gets a look in.

Cheers!

Adi

[DevSQL]

I can assure you that none of the removed items were removed because of being copied items. CWS might have removed them for some other reasons. I reported similar issue with my extension in this thread https://groups.google.com/a/chromium.org/d/msgid/chromium-extensions/23a3ee8f-9f31-4738-95c4-3d289cefef2d%40chromium.org - but CWS team took no action. This is very disappointing and sad. The reported user has copied work of many other developers.