Apple and Google have been cracking down on web developers who are using short-lived game Flappy Bird to boost their own spin-off apps.

Flappy Bird, an addictive and fairly straightforward game released by Vietnamese developer Dong Nguyen, was quickly removed from online shelves after it went viral, topping January download lists across the board.

Soon after Flappy Bird went live, a whole host of copy-cat apps started popping up - among them, "Flappy Pig," "Flappy Troll," "Flappy Fish," and, yes, "Flappy Bieber," according to CNN.

Now, it appears both Apple and Google are working to remove these fake Flappies from their respective app stores.

Developer Ken Carpenter of Mind Juice Media tweeted his disdain last week, after a proposed application was turned down by the tech giants.

"This is just not my f---ing week: Rejected," Carpenter posted on Friday. "'We found your app name attempts to leverage a popular app.' Which app? FB doesn't exist!?!?!"

Carpenter reportedly proposed a game he named "Flappy Dragon," which Apple and Google quickly flagged. Other developers reported they'd received similar notifications as well, according to CNN.

One unidentified web developer told App Battleground that he received a message from Apple for his game "Flappy Bee," with instructions to change the name in the next 48 hours. He subsequently switched the title of the application to "Jumpy Bee."

Although Apple and Google didn't offer comment to CNN, a spokesperson from the former tech company told The Verge that the Cupertino-based corporation was keeping an eye out for any apps with "flappy" in the title. Apple officials are also tightening up on games that ensnare consumers by making them think the application is somehow affiliated to Flappy Bird.

During the height of Flappy Bird's popularity, Nguyen made around $50,000 a day from advertising, CNN reported - no wonder avid emulators jumped on the product bandwagon.