---
title: "Task Scams: Why “Paid to Rate or Like” Remote Jobs Are Fake – All Job Board"
description: "Task scams pay you to rate or like things online, then demand crypto deposits. See how they work, FTC red flags, and what to do if you already sent money."
---

# Task Scams: Why “Paid to Rate or Like” Remote Jobs Are Fake

Written by

[admin](https://alljobboard.com/author/admin/)

in

[Scams & Safety](https://alljobboard.com/category/scams-and-safety/)

A task scam is a fake remote job that pays you, at first, to do simple online “tasks” such as rating products, liking videos or “boosting” apps, then asks you to deposit your own money to unlock more work or withdraw your earnings. The earnings shown in the app are not real, and the money you deposit is lost. If a stranger offers you paid work rating or liking things online, especially by text, WhatsApp or Telegram, treat it as a scam. Legitimate employers do not hire this way, and no honest job requires you to pay to get paid.

Task scams have grown into one of the most reported types of job scam in the United States. This guide explains how they work step by step, the warning signs to look for in remote job offers, and what to do if you have already sent money.

## How big the problem is

In a December 2024 release, the Federal Trade Commission said task scams had “increased massively in the last four years.” Reports went from zero in 2020 to about 5,000 in 2023, then to roughly 20,000 in the first half of 2024 alone. The FTC estimated task scams made up nearly 40 percent of job scam reports in 2024, and said reported losses on job scams were more than $220 million in the first six months of that year. You can read the figures in the [FTC’s press release on task scams](https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/news/press-releases/2024/12/new-ftc-data-show-skyrocketing-consumer-reports-about-game-online-job-scams).

Those numbers only count people who reported what happened, so the true scale is likely larger.

## How a task scam works, step by step

Task scams follow a pattern. The details change, such as the app name, the type of task and the “company,” but the structure is consistent.

### 1. An unexpected message

It usually starts with a text, WhatsApp or Telegram message from someone you do not know. It might say a recruiter “found your CV online,” or offer flexible remote work for a short time each day. Sometimes the message pretends to have been sent to the wrong number and then turns into a job pitch.

### 2. Easy work in an app

You are asked to sign up to a website or app and complete simple tasks: rating hotels, “optimising” apps, liking videos or clicking to “boost” products. Each task supposedly earns a commission. The FTC describes these as tasks called things like “optimization” or “product boosting” in its [consumer alert on spotting task scams](https://consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts/2025/08/how-spot-and-avoid-task-scams).

### 3. A growing balance and a small real payment

The app shows your earnings rising. According to the FTC, scammers often pay out a small amount, usually between $5 and $20, to make you trust that the system works. That first payment is the hook.

### 4. A request for your money

Then the rules change. You hit a “combination task” or a “premium order” that pushes your account into a negative balance, or you are told you need to deposit money to unlock the next level or to withdraw what you have earned. The deposit is usually requested in cryptocurrency. The FTC says crypto is the payment of choice for these scams.

### 5. The money disappears

Each deposit leads to another request. As the FTC puts it, even making the deposit will not let you get those fake earnings. Eventually the “mentor” or “support agent” stops replying, or the app vanishes.

## Red flags in a remote job offer

Many of these signs apply to other job scams too. If you see two or more, stop and verify before you share anything.

- **You were contacted out of nowhere by text or chat app.** The FTC advises ignoring unexpected job messages on text, WhatsApp or Telegram, because legitimate employers do not recruit that way.
- **The job is to like, rate or review things.** Paying people for positive ratings or likes is something honest companies do not do.
- **You are asked to pay anything.** Deposits, “activation” fees, training costs or upgrades are a sure sign of a scam. Your employer pays you, not the other way round.
- **Payment involves cryptocurrency.** Real employers pay wages through payroll, not by asking you to buy crypto.
- **There is no interview, no contract and no tax paperwork.** A real hire involves an application, some kind of interview, and paperwork for pay and tax.
- **The pay is too good for the effort.** Large earnings for a few minutes of clicking a day is a classic lure.
- **A “mentor” coaches you in a group chat.** Group chats full of other “workers” celebrating payouts are often staged.

Task scams are one branch of a wider family of fraudulent listings. For checks you can run on any job ad, see our guide on [how to spot a fake job posting](https://alljobboard.com/spot-a-fake-job-posting/). Because these offers so often arrive as text messages, it also helps to know the general signs of a scam message, and ajmm.org has a plain-English walkthrough on [recognising a scam text before you reply](https://ajmm.org/spot-a-scam-message/).

## How task scams differ from real remote work

| Real remote job | Task scam |
|---|---|
| You apply through a listing, a careers page or a recruiter you can verify | A stranger messages you first |
| There is an interview and a written offer | You are “hired” instantly in a chat |
| You are paid through payroll or a known invoicing system | Earnings appear in an app balance you cannot fully withdraw |
| You never pay to work | You must deposit money, often crypto, to continue |
| The work produces something for a business | The “work” is clicking, rating or liking with no real output |

Even genuine remote listings deserve a second look. Some roles advertised as remote turn out to need regular office attendance or residence in a specific state. Our article on [whether a remote job is actually remote](https://alljobboard.com/remote-job-really-remote/) covers those checks.

## What to do if you have already sent money

Act quickly. The sooner you report, the better the chance of stopping further losses.

1. **Stop paying.** No further deposit will release your balance, whatever the “support” team says.
2. **Contact the company you used to send the money.** The FTC’s [job scams guidance](https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/job-scams) advises contacting the payment company immediately and asking for the transaction to be reversed if possible. For crypto, contact the exchange or app you used.
3. **Report it.** File a report at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. You can also report to your state attorney general.
4. **Secure your accounts.** If you shared passwords, ID documents or bank details, change passwords, turn on two-step verification and watch your accounts for unusual activity.
5. **Beware of “recovery” offers.** Victims are sometimes contacted by people claiming they can get the money back for a fee. Treat these as a second scam.
6. **Keep records.** Save screenshots of the chats, the app, wallet addresses and transaction IDs.

## Why job seekers are targeted during the holidays

The end of the year brings a lot of genuine seasonal and short-term work, plus many people looking for extra income for gifts and travel. That mix makes “easy money from your phone” offers feel plausible. Remote job offers that arrive unsolicited in November and December deserve the same scrutiny as at any other time, and probably more.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Are “get paid to like videos” jobs real?

No. The FTC warns that no honest company pays people to rate or like things online, and offers of this kind are a common front for task scams.

### Why did the app pay me at first if it is a scam?

Small early payouts, often $5 to $20 according to the FTC, are used to build trust so that you will later deposit larger amounts of your own money.

### Can I get my money back from a task scam?

Possibly, if you act fast. Contact the payment company or crypto exchange you used, ask for a reversal, and report the scam at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Recovery is not guaranteed, especially with cryptocurrency.

### Is a job offer by WhatsApp always a scam?

An unexpected job offer by WhatsApp, Telegram or text from someone you have never dealt with is a strong warning sign. The FTC advises ignoring such messages because legitimate employers do not recruit that way.

### Where can I find safer remote job listings?

Use established job boards, company careers pages and government resources. The FTC suggests sources such as USAJobs.gov and CareerOneStop, and recommends searching a company’s name with words like “scam” or “complaint” before you accept anything.

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