A free app called JET VPN was discovered hijacking access to VPN servers from Windscribe to run its own network.
Windscribe, a Canadian VPN provider, flagged the incident as an example of how risky free VPNs can be. “Most people aren’t actually aware of how dangerous a crappy free VPN can be,” the company posted on X.
How JET VPN Operated
Windscribe first noticed JET VPN climbing the Play Store charts last month. After investigating, the company found the app using stolen authentication credentials from a Windscribe account to connect to its servers.
“They just took someone’s account and built a whole VPN app around it using our infrastructure,” Windscribe explained.
Although only about 100 people were routed through the stolen servers, the app simultaneously racked up hundreds of suspiciously positive reviews on the Play Store.
When Windscribe blocked the unauthorized access, JET VPN appeared to pivot by leeching off a different VPN provider, Private Internet Access. This raised concerns that such apps could expose users’ browsing activity to bad actors, since VPNs redirect all internet traffic through their servers.
Windscribe also identified another questionable free VPN app called Hizen, which was gaining traction in the Play Store rankings. After testing it, the company called it riddled with ads and largely unusable.
Google’s Response
Google has since removed JET VPN from the Play Store, though Hizen VPN remains available.
Windscribe, meanwhile, continues to offer a free version of its own app with a 10GB monthly cap, emphasizing that legitimate services are safer alternatives to unverified apps that might exploit users for data or ad revenue.
Author’s Opinion
Free VPNs may sound tempting, but most of them are either scams, data harvesters, or ad farms. JET VPN and Hizen show just how easy it is for shady developers to lure people in with fake reviews and promises of “free protection.” The truth is, if you’re not paying for the service, chances are you’re the product. Using a bad VPN can be worse than not using one at all, because you’re handing over your private browsing data to strangers who may have zero accountability.
Featured image credit: Freepik
For more stories like it, click the +Follow button at the top of this page to follow us.