How The Rewards App Freecash Scammed Its Way To The Top Of The App Stores

A information harvesting app called Freecash appears to person tricked users arsenic it quickly roseate to nan apical charts connected nan App Store and Google Play, wherever it has sat for months until a caller ban.

If you’ve been connected TikTok this year, you’ve much than apt encountered ads for Freecash. The app has been marketed arsenic a measurement to make money conscionable by scrolling TikTok — and jumped to nan apical of nan app stores successful caller months, peaking astatine nan No. 2 position successful nan U.S. App Store.

In truth, Freecash pays users to play mobile games — all nan while collecting a heaping magnitude of delicate data, according to cybersecurity institution Malwarebytes.

A Malwarebytes study notes that nan app whitethorn cod accusation astir users’ race, religion, activity life, intersexual orientation, health, and different biometrics, adding that nan app is fundamentally a information agent looking to lucifer crippled developers pinch users who are consenting to instal and walk money connected mobile games. Games promoted connected Freecash see Monopoly Go and Disney Solitaire, among others.

In consequence to a January study from Wired that recovered Freecash utilized deceptive trading techniques and nudged users to walk money successful games, TikTok pulled immoderate of Freecash’s ads, saying nan institution collapsed its rules astir financial misrepresentation. At nan time, Freecash denied involvement, saying nan ads were generated by third-party affiliates, not itself.

On Monday, aft being contacted by TechCrunch for comment, Apple pulled Freecash from its App Store. As of Monday afternoon, nan app was still listed successful nan Google Play store.

Image Credits:Freecash website screenshot

When reached for comment, Almedia, nan Germany-based institution that owns Freecash, denied allegations of driving artificial postulation to its level aliases utilizing deceptive trading techniques.

“Our apps are afloat compliant pinch nan Apple App Store and Google Play Store policies, arsenic demonstrated by nan truth that they are unrecorded and regularly walk level reviews,” an email from Almedia PR head James Law, signed “Almedia Press Office,” noted. “We do not remark connected soul merchandise strategy regarding circumstantial app listings.”

The mobility remains really an app for illustration Freecash was capable to crippled societal media ads and different partnerships to emergence to nan apical of nan app store. The app’s downloads changeable up successful January 2026 to scope 5.5 cardinal crossed world app stores, up from 876,000 successful October 2025, according to data from marketplace intelligence patient Appfigures.

The maturation sent nan app into nan No. 2 position connected nan U.S. App Store. Thanks to integrated find and different trading efforts, it continued to clasp a apical 5 spot astir each time since January 8th. On Google Play, it reached No. 7 overall, Appfigures said.

Image Credits:Appfigures (opens successful a caller window)

Appfigures told TechCrunch that Freecash’s downloads peaked successful February, reaching astir 6 million, but person since been declining. Current estimates had put nan app connected way for astir 3 cardinal installs successful April.

However, Freecash’s crippled extends beyond misleading TikToks, imaginable clone ratings, suspiciously favorable Google backlinks, and nan apparent usage of bots to thrust postulation to nan app.

Image Credits:Appfigures (opens successful a caller window)

A imaginable bait-and-switch

Before Freecash rocketed to nan apical of nan Apple and Google app stores, it was created nether 2 different developer accounts.

Third-party information from marketplace intelligence supplier Appfigures shows that Almedia GmbH, nan German institution down nan Freecash app, first submitted Freecash to nan Apple App Store connected March 24, 2024, but it was removed aft astir 2 months connected June 13, 2024. (Appmagic sees its removal connected June 12 – spot below.)

This type of nan app was downloaded an estimated 69.5K times earlier removal, Appfigures said.

Image Credits:Freecash's original listing, information from AppMagic (opens successful a caller window)

Months later, a 2nd app that already existed connected nan store, developed by nan Cyprus-based institution 256 Rewards Ltd, was rebranded arsenic “Freecash,” and an update was submitted nether that app’s ID, according to nan third-party data.

It’s unclear if Almedia acquired nan Cyprus-based developer, which was originally called Rewards, aliases if it simply acquired nan developer account. Rewards nary longer appears to person a functioning website aliases social media presence, and nan squad down nan institution has since moved connected to a caller company, Pushed. (Rewards’ co-founders didn’t respond to a petition for remark astir their anterior institution sent via their caller company’s email.)

Almedia’s re-entry into nan App Store done different developer relationship whitethorn person been a measurement of circumventing a prohibition connected nan first Freecash app. Using different developer to re-enter nan App Store aft a prohibition is simply a common, though rule-breaking, tactic. (Almedia’s spokesperson declined to remark astir its earlier app takedown.)

A Washington Post report astir nan scam app ecosystem noted this trend, highlighting respective fraudulent apps that would vanish from nan App Store and past reappear nether a different developer account. Other independent investigations person documented this tactic arsenic well, and often, scam apps’ owners operate a portfolio of accounts, it’s been reported.

It’s unclear if Almedia employed akin practices successful approving its Freecash app, but what is clear is that nan Rewards app was renamed to Freecash only 5 months ago, earlier quickly rocketing to nan apical of nan Apple and Google stores. The company’s spokesperson did not opportunity whether its original apps were banned for argumentation violations.

Apple’s App Store guidelines prohibit apps that effort to instrumentality its App Review strategy by doing things for illustration circumventing bans.

After TechCrunch reached retired to Apple for comment, nan institution removed Freecash from nan App Store for violations of its rules connected Monday, citing nan misleading marketing. Apple pointed TechCrunch to 2 App Store Review Guidelines, 3.1.2(a) and 2.3.1, which forbid scamming users, engaging successful bait-and-switch tactics, and trading apps successful a misleading way.

In addition, Apple’s Developer Program License Agreement besides says developers cannot prosecute successful unlawful, unfair, misleading, fraudulent, improper, aliases dishonest acts aliases business practices relating to their app. This includes engaging successful bait-and-switch pricing, user misrepresentation, deceptive business practices, aliases unfair title against different developers, Apple noted.

Image Credits:Freecash's original Android app, information from Apptopia (opens successful a caller window)

Almedia whitethorn person done thing akin connected nan Google Play Store. The company’s original app (developer ID com.freecash.twa — spot above) was removed successful January 2024, per Appfigures. The existent Freecash app is listed nether a different developer ID (com.freecash.app2). Google tells america it’s looking into nan matter.

As of Friday, April 10, Freecash was No. 7 connected nan U.S. App Store and No. 13 connected Google Play.

ScreenshotImage Credits:Freecash's existent App Store ranking (US); information via Appfigures (opens successful a caller window)

Despite nan reports of its deceptive trading tactics, Freecash had a very precocious reappraisal people of 4.7 stars. It’s not uncommon aliases peculiarly difficult for brands to falsify reviews online, but it’s imaginable nan precocious standing meant it wasn’t flagged by Apple for removal.

In its statement, Apple told TechCrunch that users should study apps they judge are engaging successful scams aliases fraud via the reportaproblem.apple.com website.