An app called Freecash promised to pay users for scrolling through TikTok, and got by App Store review despite really tricking them to play paid games while also harvesting sensitive personal data to sell.
At least the fake Ledger Live had a believable name, albeit copied from a genuine cryptocurrency app. In comparison, "Freecash" went all-in on the money-for-nothing idea that should have warned users that there was a problem.
According to Malwarebytes, it did anything but. Until it was removed, Freecash reached the top five chart on the App Store in January 2026 and stayed there almost every day afterwards.
What the app offered was rewards for scrolling TikTok, taking surveys, and playing games. If you were suspicious of Freecash, then even now a Google search on it returns an AI Overview saying that it is a legitimate app.
It appears that through a combination of advertising and allegedly false reviews, Freecash climbed the charts. Then based on that apparently legitimate success, more people tried it and its popularity grew organically.
But what it was really doing was using data from users to draw them to mobile games. They were directed to games that involved them watching ads, or in some cases paying to play.
The app has been removed from the App Store, and now also the Google Play Store. Based on the privacy section of its listing before removal, Freecash was collecting data about biometrics, health and more.
In January 2026, TikTok removed some of Freecash's ads over alleged financial misrepresentation. At the time, Almedia, the developer, denied all accusations, saying that the ads in question were generated by third-party affiliates rather than itself.
According to TechCrunch, Almedia now uses the fact that the app charted as proof that it is valid. "Our apps are fully compliant with the Apple App Store and Google Play Store policies, as demonstrated by the fact that they are live and regularly pass platform reviews," said James Law, Almedia PR manager.
Freecash is no longer live, but there is a further issue around how it passed Apple and Google's review teams. Reportedly, Freecash first went live in March 2024, but was removed in June 2024.
Then a separate existing app was rebranded as Freecash, and an update to that was submitted for review. This is reportedly a common tactic for getting previously refused apps onto the App Store.
That suggests that the App Store review team makes only a more cursory check of updates to existing apps, compared to brand-new ones.
Still, the app was called Freecash, that should've raised a flag or three.
