GoKawiilA 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 TikTok 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 TikTok — and jumped to the top of the app stores in recent months, peaking at the No. 2 position in the U.S. App Store.
In truth, Freecash pays users to play mobile games — all the while collecting a heaping amount of sensitive data, according to cybersecurity company Malwarebytes.
A Malwarebytes report notes that the app may collect information about users’ race, religion, sex life, sexual orientation, health, and other biometrics, adding that the app is essentially a data broker looking to match game developers with users who are willing to install and spend money on mobile games. Games promoted on Freecash include Monopoly Go and Disney Solitaire, among others.
In response to a January report from Wired that found Freecash used deceptive marketing techniques and nudged users to spend money in games, TikTok 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 TechCrunch for comment, Apple pulled Freecash from its App Store. As of Monday afternoon, the app was still listed in the Google Play store.
Screenshot Image Credits:Freecash website screenshot
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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