Job scams are on the rise. Protect yourself with these tips

Job Scams Target Vulnerable Workers as Losses Soar to Record Highs

Fraudsters exploit messaging apps and cryptocurrency to trick job seekers into paying for nonexistent work opportunities

American job seekers lost more than half a billion dollars to employment scams in 2024, as fraudsters increasingly turned to sophisticated messaging-app schemes that promise easy money for completing simple online tasks.

The surge in so-called "task scams" helped drive overall job-scam losses from $90 million in 2020 to $501 million last year—a more than fivefold increase, according to Federal Trade Commission data released in March. Between 2020-2024, reports nearly tripled and losses grew from $90 million to $501 million.

These scams represent part of a broader fraud epidemic that cost Americans a record $12.5 billion in 2024, a 25% increase from the previous year. Newly released Federal Trade Commission data show that consumers reported losing more than $12.5 billion to fraud in 2024, which represents a 25% increase over the prior

The New Playbook

Task scams typically begin with unsolicited messages on WhatsApp or Telegram from purported recruiters offering work-from-home opportunities. The fraudsters promise good pay for simple activities like rating hotel reviews, liking social media posts, or testing products online.

These scams, known as task scams, have increased massively in the last four years, with reports of these scams increasing from zero in 2020 to 5,000 in 2023, then quadrupling to about 20,000 in just the first half of 2024.

The schemes are carefully orchestrated to build trust. Victims initially receive small payments for completing basic tasks, creating the illusion of legitimate employment. "Most of the people who end up losing money to a scammer are behaving pretty rationally," said Kati Daffan, assistant director of the FTC's division of marketing practices. "Scammers are sophisticated, and they keep changing their tactics."

These tasks vary from scheme to scheme—but they all require the victim to deposit their own money, via cryptocurrency or money transfers, into a platform for the job to be completed.

The Cryptocurrency Connection

Cryptocurrency is the payment of choice for these scams. The spotlight notes that task scams have helped drive the overall increase in reported cryptocurrency losses to job scams, which hit $41 million in just the first half of 2024--nearly double the amount reported lost in all of 2023.

The schemes escalate when victims are told they must deposit their own money—typically in cryptocurrency—to access higher-paying "VIP" tasks or to withdraw their accumulated earnings. Once victims make these deposits, they lose their real money while the promised payouts never materialize.

Federal Bureau of Investigation officials warn that legitimate employment never requires workers to deposit their own funds. Remember, no legitimate job opportunity requires you to deposit your own money to perform tasks!

Targeting the Vulnerable

The scams disproportionately target individuals facing economic uncertainty, according to Eva Velasquez, CEO of the Identity Theft Resource Center. Vulnerable populations include new job market entrants, people re-entering the workforce after extended absences, and immigrants who may be less familiar with employment practices.

"Often the job will have an easy interview or no interview, promise to let you work from home, and let you start right away," Velasquez said. The scammers exploit victims' desperation, sometimes convincing them to take out loans or borrow from family members to continue making deposits.

Younger people lost money more often. People aged 20-29 reported losing money more often than people 70+. But when older adults lost money, their losses were typically larger, FTC data shows.

Sophisticated Operations

Security researchers have identified more than 6,000 fake websites created specifically for these scams, often impersonating legitimate companies or creating convincing replicas of well-known brands. Researchers identified more than 6000 fake websites created for this purpose.

The operations span multiple countries, with victims reported in more than 50 nations. While the scam has affected victims in more than 50 countries, the most targeted countries are identified as the UK, Canada, Singapore, Australia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, and India.

Cybersecurity firm Malwarebytes, which conducted an investigation by engaging directly with scammers, found the operations use sophisticated psychological manipulation. Victims are placed in group chats with fake participants who claim to be earning substantial money, creating social proof that encourages continued participation.

Red Flags and Prevention

Experts advise job seekers to be wary of several warning signs:

• Unsolicited messages offering employment, particularly via WhatsApp or Telegram
• Jobs requiring upfront payments or deposits
• Promises of high pay for minimal work
• Payment exclusively in cryptocurrency
• Employers who cannot be verified through official channels

Ignore generic and unexpected texts or WhatsApp messages about jobs. Real employers will never contact you that way. Never pay anyone to get paid. Someone telling you to pay money to get the money you have supposedly earned is a sure sign of a scam.

The FTC encourages victims to report scams at ReportFraud.ftc.gov, noting that only 4.8% of people complain about their experiences, suggesting the actual scope of the problem may be far larger than official statistics indicate.

As economic uncertainty persists and remote work becomes more common, authorities expect these scams to continue evolving. The key to protection, experts say, lies in remembering that legitimate employment opportunities never require workers to pay money upfront—regardless of the promised returns.

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Sources

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Job scams are on the rise. Protect yourself with these tips