Scam guides › Task / online job scam
Task job scams: paid to "like" or "rate" products, then asked to deposit crypto
Updated . By the AskBeforeYouSend editorial team (how we fact-check). Fact-checked against the official sources listed at the bottom.
Short answer: It's a scam. The FTC says task scams start with an unexpected text or WhatsApp message about online work, show fake earnings in an app for "product boosting" or "app optimization", and then ask you to deposit your own money, usually crypto, to unlock the next tasks or withdraw. Never pay to get paid.
Key facts
- About 20,000 people reported task scams to the FTC in the first half of 2024, up from about 5,000 in all of 2023.
- Reported job scam losses topped $220 million in the first half of 2024 (FTC).
- The FTC says real employers won't contact you with generic, unexpected texts or WhatsApp messages about jobs.
What it looks like
Hi! I'm a recruiter with a digital marketing agency. Flexible remote work, 30 to 60 minutes a day boosting app ratings, earn $200 to $500 a day. Can I tell you more on WhatsApp?
A made-up example in the style the FTC describes.
How the scam works
- An unexpected text offers online work with few details.
- The "job" is liking videos or rating products in an app that shows your earnings growing, sometimes with a small real payout first.
- Then you must deposit money, usually crypto, to finish a set of tasks or withdraw. The earnings were never real.
Red flags
- A job offer by text or WhatsApp you didn't apply for
- Words like "product boosting", "app optimization" or "tasks"
- Paying money to get paid
- Group chats full of "success stories"
What to do now
- Don't reply or click.
- Never deposit money to get a job or unlock earnings.
- If you paid, stop sending money, keep records, and report it to the FTC and IC3.
Never send money, gift cards, crypto or verification codes because of a call, text or message. Hang up and call the real number.
Report it
Questions
They already paid me a little. Doesn't that mean it's real?
No. The FTC says many people get small payouts at first. It's a trick to build trust before asking for a bigger deposit.
Sources
- FTC Data Spotlight: Paying to get paid: gamified job scams drive record losses (Dec 12, 2024)
- FTC consumer alert: Task scams create the illusion of making money (Dec 12, 2024)
Example messages are made up to show the pattern unless we say otherwise. Phone numbers in examples use the fictional 555 range.
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