How the rewards app Freecash scammed its way to the top of the app stores | Tech Crunch

Overview

A data harvesting app called Freecash appears to have tricked users as it quickly rose to the top charts on the App Store and Google Play, where it has sat for months until a recent ban.

If you’ve been on Tik Tok this year, you’ve more than likely encountered ads for Freecash. The app has been marketed as a way to make money just by scrolling Tik Tok — and jumped to the top of the app stores in recent months, peaking at the No. 2 position in the U. S. App Store.

Details

In truth, Freecash pays users to play mobile games — all the while collecting a heaping amount of sensitive data, according to cybersecurity company Malwarebytes.

In response to a January report from Wired that found Freecash used deceptive marketing techniques and nudged users to spend money in games, Tik Tok pulled some of Freecash’s ads, saying the company broke its rules around financial misrepresentation. At the time, Freecash denied involvement, saying the ads were generated by third-party affiliates, not itself.

On Monday, after being contacted by Tech Crunch for comment, Apple pulled Freecash from its App Store. As of Monday afternoon, the app was still listed in the Google Play store.

When reached for comment, Almedia, the Germany-based company that owns Freecash, denied allegations of driving artificial traffic to its platform or using deceptive marketing techniques.

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“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,” an email from Almedia PR manager James Law, signed “Almedia Press Office,” noted. “We do not comment on internal product strategy regarding specific app listings.”

@cloveerika Decided to make a video bc I’m sure they would have taken my comment down lol. BUYER BEWARE! #foryoupage #xyzbca #pyramidscheme ♬ Classic classical gymnopedie solo piano(1034554) – Lyrebirds music

Decided to make a video bc I’m sure they would have taken my comment down lol. BUYER BEWARE! #foryoupage #xyzbca #pyramidscheme

The question remains how an app like Freecash was able to game social media ads and other partnerships to rise to the top of the app store. The app’s downloads shot up in January 2026 to reach 5.5 million across global app stores, up from 876,000 in October 2025, according to data from market intelligence firm Appfigures.

The growth sent the app into the No. 2 position on the U. S. App Store. Thanks to organic discovery and other marketing efforts, it continued to hold a top 5 spot nearly every day since January 8th. On Google Play, it reached No. 7 overall, Appfigures said.

Appfigures told Tech Crunch that Freecash’s downloads peaked in February, reaching nearly 6 million, but have since been declining. Current estimates had put the app on track for around 3 million installs in April.

However, Freecash’s game extends beyond misleading Tik Toks, possible fake ratings, suspiciously favorable Google backlinks, and the apparent use of bots to drive traffic to the app.

Before Freecash rocketed to the top of the Apple and Google app stores, it was created under two different developer accounts.

Third-party data from market intelligence provider Appfigures shows that Almedia Gmb H, the German company behind the Freecash app, first submitted Freecash to the Apple App Store on March 24, 2024, but it was removed after around two months on June 13, 2024. (Appmagic sees its removal on June 12 – see below.)

This version of the app was downloaded an estimated 69.5K times before removal, Appfigures said.

Image Credits: Freecash's original listing, data from App Magic (opens in a new window)

Months later, a second app that already existed on the store, developed by the Cyprus-based company 256 Rewards Ltd, was rebranded as “Freecash,” and an update was submitted under that app’s ID, according to the third-party data.

It’s unclear if Almedia acquired the Cyprus-based developer, which was originally called Rewards, or if it simply acquired the developer account. Rewards no longer appears to have a functioning website or social media presence, and the team behind the company has since moved on to a new company, Pushed. (Rewards’ co-founders didn’t respond to a request for comment about their prior company sent via their new company’s email.)

Almedia’s re-entry into the App Store through another developer account may have been a way of circumventing a ban on the initial Freecash app. Using another developer to re-enter the App Store after a ban is a common, though rule-breaking, tactic. (Almedia’s spokesperson declined to comment about its earlier app takedown.)

A Washington Post report about the scam app ecosystem noted this trend, highlighting several fraudulent apps that would disappear from the App Store and then reappear under a different developer account. Other independent investigations have documented this tactic as well, and often, scam apps’ owners operate a portfolio of accounts, it’s been reported.

It’s unclear if Almedia employed similar practices in approving its Freecash app, but what is clear is that the Rewards app was renamed to Freecash only five months ago, before quickly rocketing to the top of the Apple and Google stores. The company’s spokesperson did not say whether its original apps were banned for policy violations.

Apple’s App Store guidelines prohibit apps that try to trick its App Review system by doing things like circumventing bans.

After Tech Crunch reached out to Apple for comment, the company removed Freecash from the App Store for violations of its rules on Monday, citing the misleading marketing. Apple pointed Tech Crunch to two App Store Review Guidelines, 3.1.2(a) and 2.3.1, which forbid scamming users, engaging in bait-and-switch tactics, and marketing apps in a misleading way.

In addition, Apple’s Developer Program License Agreement also says developers cannot engage in unlawful, unfair, misleading, fraudulent, improper, or dishonest acts or business practices relating to their app. This includes engaging in bait-and-switch pricing, consumer misrepresentation, deceptive business practices, or unfair competition against other developers, Apple noted.

Image Credits: Freecash's original Android app, data from Apptopia (opens in a new window)

Almedia may have done something similar on the Google Play Store. The company’s original app (developer ID com.freecash.twa — see above) was removed in January 2024, per Appfigures. The current Freecash app is listed under a different developer ID (com.freecash.app 2). Google tells us it’s looking into the matter.

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

Screenshot Image Credits: Freecash's current App Store ranking (US); data via Appfigures (opens in a new window)

Despite the reports of its deceptive marketing tactics, Freecash had a very high review score of 4.7 stars. It’s not uncommon or particularly difficult for brands to falsify reviews online, but it’s possible the high rating meant it wasn’t flagged by Apple for removal.

In its statement, Apple told Tech Crunch that users should report apps they believe are engaging in scams or fraud via the reportaproblem.apple.com website.

Key Takeaways

• A data harvesting app called Freecash appears to have tricked users as it quickly rose to the top charts on the App Store and Google Play, where it has sat for months until a recent ban
• If you’ve been on Tik Tok this year, you’ve more than likely encountered ads for Freecash
• In truth, Freecash pays users to play mobile games — all the while collecting a heaping amount of sensitive data, according to cybersecurity company Malwarebytes
• In response to a January report from Wired that found Freecash used deceptive marketing techniques and nudged users to spend money in games, Tik Tok pulled some of Freecash’s ads, saying the company broke its rules around financial misrepresentation
• On Monday, after being contacted by Tech Crunch for comment, Apple pulled Freecash from its App Store