Easy Money Online? FTC Warns of Exploding “Task Scam” Threat
A new Federal Trade Commission (FTC) report reveals a dramatic rise in online job scams targeting consumers with promises of easy earnings for completing simple tasks. These “task scams” have surged exponentially, leaving countless victims in financial ruin and driving a sharp increase in overall losses to job scams.
According to the FTC’s latest data spotlight, task scam reports skyrocketed from virtually none in 2020 to 5,000 in 2023, then quadrupled to an alarming 20,000 in just the first half of 2024. The financial toll is equally devastating: losses attributed to task scams alone accounted for nearly 40% of all job scam reports in 2024, contributing to a staggering $220 million in reported losses during the first six months of the year.
The schemes often begin with an unsolicited message via text or WhatsApp, vaguely offering online work opportunities. Posing as legitimate employers, scammers entice victims with assignments labeled as “app optimization” or “product boosting.” Victims are lured into performing simple tasks on a digital platform, even receiving small payouts—often in cryptocurrencies like USDT or Ethereum—to create an illusion of legitimacy.
The scam’s sinister turn comes when participants are asked to make payments to “unlock” larger earnings or advance to the next set of tasks. “Once they send it, the money is lost for good,” the FTC warns. Cryptocurrency has become the scammers’ preferred payment method, with reported crypto-related job scam losses reaching $41 million in the first half of 2024—nearly double the total losses reported for all of 2023.
Task scams are not only multiplying in frequency but also fueling a broader surge in job scam losses. The FTC’s spotlight notes that reported losses from job scams overall have tripled between 2020 and 2023. The rapid growth in task scams has played a pivotal role in driving this disturbing trend.
To combat this epidemic, the FTC has outlined several critical steps consumers can take to safeguard themselves:
- Ignore unsolicited messages: Be wary of generic texts or WhatsApp messages offering jobs. Genuine employers will never recruit through such informal channels.
- Never pay to get paid: Requests for payments to access your earnings are a hallmark of scams. Legitimate employers never require upfront payments.
- Beware of “pay-to-like” offers: Any job that involves paying you to rate or “like” things online is likely illegal and dishonest.
“Task scams helped drive the overall increase in reported cryptocurrency losses,” the FTC emphasized. By spreading awareness and educating consumers, the agency aims to curb this growing menace.
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