Apple has removed the Freecash app from the App Store after reports revealed the app spent months collecting sensitive user data while using misleading marketing to drive downloads.
The removal follows multiple investigations that raised concerns about how Freecash operated. The app gained traction earlier this year, climbing to the number two spot on the U.S. App Store charts after aggressive promotion on TikTok. It promised users they could earn up to $35 per hour by watching content, but in practice, the experience was very different.
Users were instead redirected toward mobile games like Monopoly Go and Disney Solitaire, where earnings were minimal and often tied to watching ads or making in-app purchases. Behind the scenes, the app was collecting large amounts of personal data. Reports indicated that this included highly sensitive information such as race, religion, health data, sexual orientation, and even biometrics, positioning Freecash more as a data broker than a rewards platform.
The app’s rapid growth was not entirely organic. Data suggests Freecash used a mix of influencer marketing, bot-driven traffic, and potentially fake reviews to boost visibility. Downloads surged to over 5.5 million across app stores in January 2026, helping it maintain a top ranking for weeks despite mounting scrutiny.
There are also questions around how the app remained available for so long. Earlier versions of Freecash had already been removed in 2024, but the app appears to have returned under a different developer account after an existing app was rebranded. This tactic, while not uncommon, violates App Store rules designed to prevent banned apps from reappearing.
Apple ultimately removed Freecash after being contacted for comment, citing violations of its App Store Review Guidelines related to deceptive marketing and scam practices. The company pointed to rules that prohibit bait-and-switch tactics and misleading user acquisition strategies.
Freecash’s parent company, Almedia, has denied any wrongdoing. It maintains that its apps comply with both Apple and Google policies and attributes marketing issues to third-party affiliates. However, the timing of the removal suggests Apple acted only after increased public and media pressure.
The Freecash case was not an isolated incident. On the same day, Apple also pulled a fake Ledger Live app that reportedly led to millions of dollars in stolen cryptocurrency. Victims lost funds across Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other assets, raising further concerns about how malicious apps are slipping through review.
Together, these incidents highlight ongoing challenges within the App Store ecosystem. While Apple maintains strict policies, enforcement can lag behind fast-moving scams that rely on viral marketing and rapid user acquisition.
(via TechCrunch)
