I first encountered the Freecash app after clicking on a sponsored TikTok video with dubious claims. When I tapped the link to “order now,” it sent me to a website with TikTok and Freecash logos, featuring a download link for the Freecash app. The bump in downloads coincides with a spree of ads promoting the Freecash app. Ben Rathe, a spokesperson for TikTok, says the Freecash ads violate TikTok’s rules barring financial misrepresentation. It’s not clear if the women and children appearing in the TikTok ads are actually the people promoting Freecash.