What Are Task Scams?
"Task Scams" come in various forms, typically through social media posts, job listings, or unsolicited messages promoting “easy” work-from-home opportunities. Scammers often promise quick money for completing simple tasks, making the job appear low-effort and high-reward.
You can read more about task scams within our dedicated article.
How Task Scams Work
In most cases, task scams require an upfront payment. The scammer might say this deposit is needed to verify the user’s identity or prevent fraud. But once the money is sent, the scammer cuts off all contact, taking the deposit and leaving the victim with nothing.
Some scams are more elaborate. Users might complete tasks and see a fake payout balance, which grows until they try to withdraw it. At that point, the scammer demands a “transaction fee” to process the payment. Once paid, they disappear with this fee as well, leaving the user empty-handed.
Why Task Scams Work
The scam preys on a psychological trick called the "sunk cost fallacy", making victims believe that investing more could recover their losses. But the payout is a total fabrication — the scammer never intends to pay.
What to Do if You're Targeted
Ignore, block, and report any account that sends you a message that resembles this common scam. Remember, if it sounds too good to be true - it usually is. No legitimate business will pay random strangers for completing menial tasks.
ScamBot Command
The ScamBot can provide a shortened description of this scam by using the following command:
!task
