Could I be getting scammed?
http_gamesalad
Member Posts: 1,340
Two days ago a Chinese company named TCL set me an email saying they were interested in promoting my app in their app store. Obviously, I was extremely interested and I replied asking for more information. I looked up the company and apparently their a huge deal where they are located and made $16.44 billion in 2014 with 75,000 people working for them. I was very happy because I thought this was the big break I've been looking for and the exposure I really need. What they replied with kind of stumped me. I showed it to my parents and they are as iffy as I am. It seemed kind of odd that they wanted to me to pay a price for my app to be on their market even when they reached out to me first. The prices they are asking for are not to crazy they want $0.05 - $2.00 per install which is about the normal for Google and Apple. If I don't like that option I could give them 40% of whatever I make which seemed a bit high (Apple only takes 30% of anything I make). What I'm scared of is that this could be someone pretending to represent a company like TCL and are trying to sell false hope or take over people's apps. Why I haven't concluded this is because of the legitimacy of the company and because the email didn't go to my spam folder. Usually Google is very good at sorting out the good emails from spam. My spam is filled of 'billionaire tycoons' wanting to give me $14.8 million if all I give them is access to my bank account. I know most likely I'm not the only one who probably has gotten an email from TCL because the email seems so general that they probably send this out to multiple people. If this is legit I don't want something like this to pass me and I don't mind giving up a percentage of my earnings in exchange for the exposure they apparently could give me. Part of me is hoping this is legit but the other half is saying it might be too good to be true. I have spent 2 years of my life praying and working so hard for such an opportunity and this could be it.
Comments
If it sounds too good to be true...
That's the kind of mail I would have deleted before I'd even finished reading.
$0.05 - $2.00 per install? What? That's a huge range. And why would you pay per install anyway? Google and Apple don't charge per install, they take a % of the $ processed. You could look at that as a charge per install, but it's not quite the same thing.
@KevinCross ... it probably is and @KevinCross @Adrenaline do you think it would be a good idea to post the emails on this forums so others can read it?
Don't suppose that would be a problem. I'd probably recommend removing links from the email before posting though
Don't suppose that would be a problem. I'd probably recommend removing links from the email before posting though
+1 to this
@KevinCross @Adrenaline
It's hard to say whether this is a scam or not, but even if it's not a scam then it's simply an app store looking to attract new sellers to its store. Nothing unusual there, even the terms don't seem that unusual, the percentage of their take seems a little high, but that's the basic model used elsewhere, and the pay-per-install is simply another way to for them to make their money, you price the app to cover the install cost.
Whether a scam or not, I wouldn't really say it's a big break of any kind from what I can tell, even if legit it's simply an app store trying to attract developers to sell on their store ?
But either way, if you are still unsure about how to proceed I'm happy to help you out, just send me all your bank details, sort code, account number, your full name and address and the time of day your house is most likely to be unoccupied - and I'll see what I can do.
Thats so kind of you
@Socks That makes sense. Probably an editor trying to get more games on their platform. Even if their market might not have the billions of monthly user Google Play and iTunes has I will still try and pursue this. It's not everyday you get an editor of a store emailing you. If they do like my game they can really drive downloads to it. My games have had some success in the US in terms of making it on the local news and reaching #293 on iTunes. I just know all my game really does need is exposure and that's the hardest part for me. The percentage is a bit too high honestly and I saw that TCL is trying to get into gaming which could be huge for my app company. Everything seemed to be in oder honestly. They didn't ask for money up front but I don't know how they could scam me maybe by stealing my idea
and would you like the keys to my cars too
hahaha
After reading the emails, it doesn't sound like a scam to me. But it does sound like a form letter that they send out in large numbers. They don't know anything about you or your game, so they aren't contacting you because of any success they're predicting. I think @Socks nailed it, they're just looking to grow their platform. With the business model they're putting forth, taking you on is at little cost to them. You COULD profit from it and then they will too, or you could (more likely) pay to be a part of their world and not really benefit from it.
@Adrenaline I agreed with socks on what he suggested! The first email they sent me was very general that's why I thought it was something they sent to multiple people. But I'll definitely try & pursue it & see the out come. It could be a flop or a success on their market especially since an editor is contactin me. Let's just hope it does well on their market & they really believe in me!
Good luck if you choose to pursue it - I hope it works out great for you!