Trapdoor Android Ad Fraud Scheme Hit 659 Million Daily Bid Requests Using 455 Apps

2026-05-22

Trapdoor uses utility-style Android apps as initial lures, then pushes second-stage apps that open hidden WebViews to hit HTML5 cashout domains and request ads at scale. It abused install attribution tools to enable fraud only for ad-driven installs, peaking at 659 million daily bid requests across 455 apps, and prompted Google to pull all identified apps from Play.