Stealing is not right. I searched google for a solution and found the useful blog http://arkenea.com/blog/app-cloning/
The blog suggest me to make a Gentleman's move first by writing an email to the appropriate party about their violations. It also suggest me to inform to the Playstore as a further step.
I decided to register a complaint on the Playstore first and also wrote an email to the person who cloned my app. I never received a reply from that person.
Trust me Google team actively working on the removal of the contents that are violating the policy. All we need to do is inform the activity to the Google.
Here is what I did.
I got the Link to register the complaint from the blog.
https://support.google.com/legal/troubleshooter/1114905?hl=en
The link prompt me few questions.For all the questions, we have to choose the appropriate answers, I mentioned what I chose
Q1. What Google product does your request relate to?
Google Play: Apps
Q2. What can we help you with?
I have found content that may violate my copyright
Q3. Are you the copyright owner or authorized to act on his/her behalf?
Yes, I am the copyright owner or am authorized to act on the copyright owner’s behalf
Q4. What is the allegedly infringing work in question?
Other
I read the instructions and clicked on the form link(this form) present in the last line.This is the main form that reports the alleged copyright infringement
Section 1 : Contact Information
I entered all my information
Section 2 : Your copyrighted work
2.1 Identify and describe the copyrighted work
This is description box, where we can explain our concerns.
I mentioned the my issue like the following
Application Content.
I created the application named "<APP NAME>" in playstore
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=<Id>
Some one copied my entire Application code and published
the similar one named "<CLONED APP NAME>" with logo
and locale changes in playstore
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=<CloneAPPId>
2.2 Where can we see an authorized example of the work?
My application link in the play store
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=<Id>
Section 3 : Allegedly infringing material
3.1 Location of the allegedly infringing material
Cloned application link in the play store
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=<CloneAPPId>
3.2 Attachment
I attached a screen shot of a cloned app.
Section 4 : Sworn statements
I read all the statement and checked all the check boxes.
Section 5 : Signature
Typed my name
I read the terms and verified all the information and clicked Submit button. Then I saw the confirmation message and received the acknowledgement email to the address given in Section 1
September 13 2017 - I filed a complaint.
September 15 2017 - Google team replied with the the message saying that the content I mentioned violating their policies and they will be working on removing from the services. The same day the cloned app is removed from the play store.
Please make a note that mis-using above forms will also be consider as violation of policy.
The blog suggest me to make a Gentleman's move first by writing an email to the appropriate party about their violations. It also suggest me to inform to the Playstore as a further step.
I decided to register a complaint on the Playstore first and also wrote an email to the person who cloned my app. I never received a reply from that person.
Trust me Google team actively working on the removal of the contents that are violating the policy. All we need to do is inform the activity to the Google.
Here is what I did.
I got the Link to register the complaint from the blog.
https://support.google.com/legal/troubleshooter/1114905?hl=en
The link prompt me few questions.For all the questions, we have to choose the appropriate answers, I mentioned what I chose
Q1. What Google product does your request relate to?
Google Play: Apps
Q2. What can we help you with?
I have found content that may violate my copyright
Q3. Are you the copyright owner or authorized to act on his/her behalf?
Yes, I am the copyright owner or am authorized to act on the copyright owner’s behalf
Q4. What is the allegedly infringing work in question?
Other
I read the instructions and clicked on the form link(this form) present in the last line.This is the main form that reports the alleged copyright infringement
Section 1 : Contact Information
I entered all my information
Section 2 : Your copyrighted work
2.1 Identify and describe the copyrighted work
This is description box, where we can explain our concerns.
I mentioned the my issue like the following
Application Content.
I created the application named "<APP NAME>" in playstore
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=<Id>
Some one copied my entire Application code and published
the similar one named "<CLONED APP NAME>" with logo
and locale changes in playstore
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=<CloneAPPId>
2.2 Where can we see an authorized example of the work?
My application link in the play store
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=<Id>
Section 3 : Allegedly infringing material
3.1 Location of the allegedly infringing material
Cloned application link in the play store
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=<CloneAPPId>
3.2 Attachment
I attached a screen shot of a cloned app.
Section 4 : Sworn statements
I read all the statement and checked all the check boxes.
Section 5 : Signature
Typed my name
I read the terms and verified all the information and clicked Submit button. Then I saw the confirmation message and received the acknowledgement email to the address given in Section 1
September 13 2017 - I filed a complaint.
September 15 2017 - Google team replied with the the message saying that the content I mentioned violating their policies and they will be working on removing from the services. The same day the cloned app is removed from the play store.
Please make a note that mis-using above forms will also be consider as violation of policy.
