Job scams
The 'Easy Online Job' That Makes You Pay to Get Paid
Task scams went from zero reports to tens of thousands in four years. They start with a vague text and end with an empty crypto wallet.
"Hi, we found your resume. Flexible remote work, $300–$800 a day." The message arrives by text or WhatsApp, with few details. You never applied anywhere.
This is the opening line of a task scam, one of the fastest-growing frauds the Federal Trade Commission has ever tracked.
Reports of task scams went from zero in 2020 to 5,000 in 2023, then quadrupled to about 20,000 in just the first half of 2024.
Reported losses to job scams overall tripled from 2020 to 2023 and topped $220 million in the first six months of 2024.
Crypto losses to job scams reached about $41 million in that half-year — nearly double all of 2023.
How the game works
You're told the job involves "app optimization" or "product boosting": clicking through items in an online platform. At first it pays. Small amounts show up, and your balance on the app grows. That's the hook.
Then come "combination tasks" or special bonus rounds that put your account in the negative. To unlock your earnings, you need to deposit money — usually crypto. Each deposit leads to a bigger one. The balance on screen was never real.
Red flags
- A job you never applied for, offered by text or messaging app.
- Vague duties like rating, liking or "boosting" products.
- Any requirement to pay, deposit or buy crypto to get your own earnings. Real jobs don't charge you to get paid.
- Report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.