To update to the extortion with spam review, we are still keeping on getting them every other day followed by a message offering to remove it for money. Another similar extension is also being bombarded like this. Our average review has gone from 4.9 to 3.2 something. Even after escalating with chrome store, no reviews have been removed after 5 days.
Longer term, shouldn't Chrome Store have a better way to handle reviews? These people who are targeting us do not seem to be that sophisticated . They are just using bots to add like 20 review in 10 minutes using random text from somewhere. They are just trying to make some quick buck. Should there atleast be a CAPTCHA on the review form, maybe a little dialed up? This can also take care of the fake review services who usually uses bots. That itself will take care of the less sophisticated operations. And now that we are at it, shouldnt there be a CAPTCHA before viewing the chrome email too, like how we have with YouTube? Atleast lets add some friction.
Otherwise, is there a way to freeze the review section for apps that have been affected by these intentional fake reviews? Even after escalating after mentioning here, it is taking more than 5 days. So with a similar pace the people doing these kinds of things have a big advantage.
I worry this will turn into a cottage industry. It is just too easy to hold an app to ransom, and even if a small set of people pay it is enough to sustain them. Not sure submitting a ticket and waiting by itself will solve this long term?