Checked
Written from official fraud-agency notices. Every figure and piece of advice is checked against the sources listed at the bottom.
What we found
Set out in the same plain format as reader reports.
- What kind of scam?
- Fake job offers
- In short
- A stranger offers easy online money for simple tasks. Your earnings climb on screen, but to withdraw them you must pay in, usually in crypto.
- How does it reach you?
- Messaging app
- What does the message look like?
- Example messages written by us.Hi, we are hiring. Earn $200 a day liking videos, no experience needed. Message us on WhatsApp to start. Later: Your balance is 480 USDT. To withdraw, deposit 150 USDT to unlock the next set of tasks.
- How can you spot it?
- An unexpected job offer by text or chat app
The FTC: real employers will never contact you that way. - You must pay to get paid
Never pay anyone to get paid or to start a job. - Pay for ratings or likes
No honest company will do that. - Small early payouts
A few dollars, often $5 to $20, to build trust before the deposit demand.
- An unexpected job offer by text or chat app
- Is it growing?
- Yes, it is growing
- What do the sources say?
- The FTC counted reported job-scam losses above $220 million in the first half of 2024, with task scams making up a fast-growing share. Most fraud goes unreported. [2]
- Where do I report it?
- FTC ReportFraud
reportfraud.ftc.gov
- FTC ReportFraud
If this happened to you
- Ignore the message. Do not reply to unexpected job offers.
- Never deposit money to unlock tasks or withdraw "earnings". The balance on screen is not real.
- If you paid in crypto, contact the exchange or wallet provider at once and report the transaction as fraud.
- Report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov or to your local fraud service.
Sources (2)
Sources
- US Federal Trade Commission: How to spot and avoid task scams (14 Aug 2025)
- US Federal Trade Commission: Paying to get paid: gamified job scams drive record losses (Data Spotlight) (Dec 2024)