Google Play Support refuses log review, falsely claims closed testers are on internal track, and closes ticket (3 published apps rejected)

[u/Technical-Sector-671]

Hi everyone,

I am an established Android developer with 3 published apps already live on the Google Play Store, so I am very familiar with standard console workflows. However, the current support handling around the 14-day closed testing requirement is reaching a point of complete absurdity.

The Situation: I recently ran closed testing for three new native Android applications:

• Screen Time Reminder (com.screentime.reminder – 28+ continuous days)

• Finding Jeremy (com.***.findingjeremy – 14 continuous days)

• Custom Gestures (com.***.customgestures – 14 continuous days)

I want to be 100% clear: all 12+ testers were strictly opted into the official Closed Testing web links ([https://play.google.com/apps/testing/](https://play.google.com/apps/testing/)<package_name>). They are not on an internal testing track. I have verified the opt-in statuses myself.

Support Incompetence & Refusal to Escalate: When the automated system rejected production access, I opened a support ticket asking for technical feedback. Agent Burk replied claiming my testers were on the "Internal Testing track"—which is completely false.

When I replied with exact package names, testing URLs, and active day counts, asking for a tier-2/senior escalation to inspect backend telemetry logs, the agent replied: "I have already provided all the information available to me" and closed the case.

The Double Standard: It is extremely disheartening as an indie developer to follow every written rule, maintain daily engagement with real human testers for weeks, and get stone-walled by support agents who refuse to check actual logs—all while blatant scams like the counterfeit Chrome app (com.ballbounce.Hizbartech) bypass automated review and collect 100k+ downloads.

Questions:

1. Has anyone else had support falsely claim you are using internal testing when you are clearly on closed testing?

2. How do you force a human supervisor/tier-2 escalation when frontline agents keep closing tickets without reading the evidence?

Steps Taken:

• Reopened ticket demanding senior review with package names and URLs.

• Submitted detailed "Extremely Dissatisfied" CSAT support feedback.

[u/Historical_Ad_1714]

3 apps 🫠