Apple Removes Top-Charting Freecash App After Deceptive TikTok Ads

Apple has removed the rewards app Freecash from the App Store after it was promoted through deceptive TikTok ads that helped drive millions of downloads. Researchers say the app collects large amounts of sensitive user data while presenting itself as an easy way to earn money online. The app had recently climbed to the number two spot on the U.S. App Store charts, positioned right between major services like ChatGPT and Gemini.



The scheme relied on a wave of sponsored TikTok videos featuring people claiming they were being paid $35 an hour by TikTok to watch videos. In many cases, the ads did not even mention Freecash by name and instead appeared to mimic job offers from TikTok itself. When users clicked the links, they were sent to a landing page with both TikTok and Freecash logos and told they could "cash out instantly" for scrolling their feeds. Once the app was installed, that offer vanished.


Users were instead pushed to download third-party games and complete time-limited challenges to earn rewards. For example, a Monopoly Go challenge offered just a penny for playing two minutes a day, while a $123 payout required reaching level 300 in under three months. The app's model centers on rewarding users for installing and spending time in partner games, effectively acting as a funnel for mobile game developers looking to acquire paying users.

This removal arrives as Apple is dealing with other App Store friction, including a lawsuit from an AI startup over withheld revenue and an alleged arbitrary ban. In Freecash's case, the violations appear far more blatant. Cybersecurity firm Malwarebytes sounded the alarm after finding the app's privacy policy allowed it to collect a significant amount of sensitive personal data, including information about health, race, religion, sexual orientation, and biometrics. Each additional app installed through Freecash can introduce its own tracking and data collection practices, further expanding the amount of user data being gathered.

Experts warn that this type of data can be used by brokers to build detailed user profiles, including identifying people who may be more susceptible to scams or compulsive behavior. Freecash's parent company, Berlin-based Almedia, has also described the platform as a way to match advertisers with users who are more likely to install apps and make in-game purchases, based on their past behavior.

Apple told TechCrunch that the app violated Review Guidelines 3.1.2(a) and 2.3.1, which strictly forbid bait and switch tactics and misleading marketing. The app was removed after Apple was contacted for comment.


There are also signs that Almedia may have been trying to work around a previous removal. Third-party data suggests an existing app from a developer in Cyprus was rebranded as Freecash and updated under a different developer account. It's unclear whether the company acquired the developer or the account, but using a separate account to re-enter the App Store after a ban is a known tactic that violates Apple's policies.

Even though the app maintained a high 4.7-star rating, those numbers may have been influenced by fake reviews or bot-driven activity. The app's rapid rise was also fueled by aggressive affiliate marketing, including programs that incentivize users to promote the app across social platforms.

If you still have Freecash on your phone, you should delete it immediately. Any further issues can be reported directly to Apple at their official "Report a Problem" website.

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