AI-Themed Apps on Google Play Linked to Covert Ad Scam Spanning the Globe

Security researchers have uncovered one of the largest mobile ad fraud operations in recent years, involving 224 apps on the Google Play Store with over 38 million downloads globally.

The scheme, dubbed SlopAds, secretly generated fake ad views and clicks in the background, siphoning advertising dollars without delivering real engagement. The operation was exposed by the Satori Threat Intelligence team at HUMAN, who promptly reported the apps to Google.

How the Scam Worked

SlopAds used steganography and WebViews—embedded browsers within apps—to open hidden windows and navigate to cashout sites controlled by fraudsters. At its peak, the scheme generated 2.3 billion bid requests per day, costing advertisers millions.

The fraud was engineered to remain undetected. Only apps downloaded via SlopAds-controlled ads were activated for fraud, while others remained dormant. Researchers called this a “novel abuse of marketing attribution technology.”

Google responded by removing all identified apps and activating Play Protect, which warns users and prompts them to uninstall harmful apps.

Global Reach and AI Branding

SlopAds’ fake traffic spanned 228 countries and territories, with the highest activity from the United States (31%), India (11%), and Brazil (7%). Many apps and domains used in the scheme carried an AI theme, inspiring the SlopAds name.

The apps collected extensive device and browser data to optimize fraud operations. Encrypted instructions delivered via Firebase directed the apps to fraud modules and cashout sites. In some cases, executable code was hidden inside PNG images and reassembled on users’ devices.

Fraudsters monetized the scheme through HTML5 games and news sites they owned, which displayed ads in hidden WebViews—never seen by users but paid for by advertisers.