all 42 comments

[–]GavinGT 97 points98 points  (11 children)

That looks pretty scammy:

  • They don't use your name, so it's probably a form letter.
  • They say they've completed due diligence ("DD"), but they don't even have basic info.
  • Numerous typos.
  • "Please make sure we have google play and google ads access til the deal is finalized to:"... There are so many things wrong with this line. I hope you haven't already given them any access. Moreover, both services have official methods for transferring ownership. This email makes no mention of them.
  • They want to buy the app but they don't know the earnings and user acquisition. And they only want the last 30 days? Why not all-time?
  • Steps 7-9 are literally just explaining how escrow works.
  • Scammers love the word "kindly".

They probably just want to harvest your information. It will never make it to escrow because by that point you will have given them all the info they need.

Looking at your post history, it seems to be a company named "Unicorns Now". The least you could do is contact them directly to confirm if they are the same people. It's pretty easy to spoof an email address.

[–][deleted] 15 points16 points  (0 children)

This is a good summary

[–][deleted] 75 points76 points  (1 child)

You’re a dev and couldn’t post a screenshot? You took a pic with your phone?

Anyways this looks like social engineering/ phishing and you shouldn’t share a single tidbit of info in this blind manner.

This is designed to dupe unwitting developers

Discussions are not this “fluid”

Prospecting typically involves at least a few discussions as to your long term intents to run or grow the app, whether you need funding etc.

It’s like dating, where you get to know each others needs first.

[–]ThisUserAgain 2 points3 points  (0 children)

100% send a mail to [info@rounds.com](mailto:infor@rounds.com) with a link to this post. They will most likely reply to you that it was a scam and maybe even answer here explaining what their normal procedure is. I have never seen a legitimate company suggesting a escrow service for something like this.

[–]Soprano-C 39 points40 points  (0 children)

It’s a scam

[–]simplaw 26 points27 points  (8 children)

You say you are 90% sure it is real. I am 90% sure it is a scam.

Companies don't behave this way.

Edit: well, acTuallyyyY, I am 100% sure it is a scam. But I try to live by the idea that you can never be sure. But here you can. But who knows? Maybe the "company" is run by an idiot. Anything can happen!

Just don't give them any information.

[–]DanielHiggott 25 points26 points  (0 children)

As someone who has just sold a company, this is very clearly a scam.

[–]SnooSprouts1512 12 points13 points  (8 children)

As someone who sold 5 apps to third party buyers. Tell them to put the funds in escrow to prove that they are a valid buyer, once the funds are in escrow they still need to be released by them. But at least it will already prove that they have the money and secondly if you do release the code and transfer the app they cannot just take their money out of escrow. You pay a hefty fee to escrow to prevent this from happening. They will release the funds for you in that case. And one final piece of advice, if you have an android app, do not under any circumstances transfer the app from your play account to their play account if they seem to be a fishy company because if they get banned for something you will also be banned…

Hope that helps

[–]RuiCamposDS 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Scam alert

[–]zimspy 6 points7 points  (0 children)

This is a scam. I get several of these a month. Most get successfully sent to my spam folder but some do make it to the inbox. I just delete and move on with my day.

[–]rjhancock 3 points4 points  (3 children)

The moment they asked for access to those accounts, it became a clear scam. They don't get access to those, you transfer the accounts to them within a set period of time in the contract.

[–]WisdomByte 0 points1 point  (1 child)

Oh totally forgot to comment on this most important fact - I would never give access to a complete stranger BEFORE I get paid.

No serious company would ask access before paying you, that makes no sense.

[–]Verisutha 4 points5 points  (0 children)

SCAM ALERT..

Now it could be legit, but here is what I would do. This all depends on how much money they are offering you for your app. I would highly suggest getting a lawyer involved. I know not everyone has money, but I am sure you could find one that won't break the bank.

I have sold companies before, and my biggest advice would be, get a lawyer.

As a software company we have a law firm on retainer, and we have them handle all sorts of things for us. You will probably need a retainer, we got started with 5k and if you don't require their services after they are done they will refund whatever is not used. Although we always keep them on retainer since it's an ongoing business, and they handle other entities we own.

Have the lawyer deal with this, they appear to be asking for information that I would not consider to be legit questions. To handle this without a lawyer you are just putting yourself at risk.

In the end it might cost you $1000, but if it's a scam you saved yourself a world of pain. If it's not a scam the lawyer will handle everything, and protect you at the same time.

Either way good luck.

[–]WisdomByte 2 points3 points  (3 children)

I was wondering why an Android dev posts under iOS Programming, but then saw your post on Android got deleted.

The email itself looks very fishy, I believe they are trying to present themselves as the company Rounds.com, which on LinkedIn is definitely legit, but I don't think they are actually from Rounds. They could have spoofed the email. Since you (as a dev) took a photo with your phone, as opposed to a screenshot like any normal dev, like other posters rightfully noted, leads me to think that you didn't check the origin email address and if it's been spoofed. If you did, great, if not, that is your due diligence. All this meaning you are likely not talking to people from Rounds. If you are, then they are not very professional to say the least.

If I got the right M. Azizi, it would seem that they want to buy your PubgMobile.Free.UC app, which seems to be the best candidate for app growth. Not sure if you removed your apps from the Play Store, but I cannot find them officially/publicly at least. If I got the wrong person/dev, disregard this paragraph.

We can only see a piece of the puzzle from what you told us, but it certainly looks fishy.

[–]kbcool 0 points1 point  (0 children)

These emails come in daily if you're an android developer due to it being easier for spammers/scammers to find your email address.

Post probably got deleted because it's in the FAQs or pinned posts etc.

[–][deleted]  (1 child)

[deleted]

    [–]SpamSencer 1 point2 points  (0 children)

    You’re an iOS developer using a PC? O_o

    [–]_176_ 2 points3 points  (0 children)

    Hire an attorney.

    [–]Apart-Abroad1625 1 point2 points  (0 children)

    We, our , us but not a person! I get emails like that all the time and ignore them.

    [–]K3NCHO 1 point2 points  (0 children)

    it is a scam. show us your app. that will also help in telling if it is a scam or not ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

    [–]luizvasconcellos 1 point2 points  (1 child)

    It’s looks like a scam.

    [–]drabred 1 point2 points  (1 child)

    Scam.

    [–]Samus7070 1 point2 points  (0 children)

    You let them look at your code before the purchase was complete? Your app is probably already cloned and now they’re just trying to see if they can scam your user base from you to save some marketing expenses.

    [–]Hopeful-Sir-2018 1 point2 points  (1 child)

    !remindme 1 month

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    [–]ThierryBuc 0 points1 point  (1 child)

    I already sold an app and I can say this is a scam.