A Pennsylvania retiree thought she had found an easy way to earn extra cash online. Instead, she lost the savings she had expected to rely on for the rest of her life.
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The position promised commissions for each completed task, which sounded like a flexible side gig she hoped would help cover inheritance taxes and legal expenses after her mother’s death.
Within days, authorities say, the opportunity revealed itself to be a sophisticated “task scam” that ultimately cost her more than $220,000.
At first, the platform seemed legitimate. Haring said she had to deposit $100 to begin working. For several days, she was able to withdraw small sums after completing tasks, reinforcing the illusion that the job was real.
She found that higher-paying tasks required larger deposits. When she tried to withdraw her money, she encountered obstacles: fees, timing penalties and “level upgrades” that required additional payments. Each roadblock came with pressure to act quickly to avoid losing her earnings.
“It escalates very fast,” she said. Over just a few days, she sent more and more money trying to recover what she had already deposited, until the total exceeded $221,000 (1).
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In a task scam, the FTC explains, fraudsters assign their victims simple, repetitive activities such as leaving reviews. After each task, they claim you’ll earn commissions for each action through an app or platform. In reality, the payouts don’t exist (or don’t cover what you put in), and the only people who profit are the scammers (2).
Employment scams have surged alongside remote work and the gig economy. According to Federal Trade Commission consumer alerts and data, losses from job scams exceeded $220 million in the first half of 2024 alone (3).
The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) annual reports show that internet crime complaints and related financial losses remain extremely high. In 2024, there were 859,532 complaints and reported losses over $16 billion, a 33% increase from 2023 (4).