Beware of task scams offering easy money for watching videos and learn how to protect yourself from losing money.
In this week’s scam, you receive a text message that claims you can earn a large monthly income simply by watching YouTube videos. The message says that no experience is needed for the job, and you will even be provided with healthcare benefits and free training. All you need to do is reply to the text and then continue the hiring process on another messaging app, such as Telegram or WhatsApp.
However, this is actually a fake job offer, known as a “task scam”! If you reply to the message, you’ll be “hired” by a cybercriminal who will assign you simple tasks to complete, such as liking certain YouTube videos or increasing their view count. They might even send you a small payment of real money to make the job seem legitimate and gain your trust. Eventually, the scammer will ask you to pay them a deposit so you can unlock higher-paying tasks or receive additional payouts. But there are no further payouts, and they will keep any money that you send them!
Tips to Stay Safe
Follow these tips to avoid falling victim to this task scam:
- Remember, real employers will not ask you to pay them a fee or deposit so that you can receive more work from them.
- If you receive a text message that you suspect is a scam, don’t reply to it. Block the number and report it to your mobile provider.
- Always use extreme caution if you receive an unexpected text message about a job offer, especially if it seems too good to be true. This tactic is commonly used by scammers to try to trick you into acting impulsively.
Stop. Look. Think. And don’t be fooled.
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