The FTC Warns About the Rise of Gamified Job Scams.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has warned about a concerning increase in gamified job scams over the past year. According to the FTC, reports of these scams have quadrupled since 2022, reaching a total of 20,000 reports in the first six months of the year, resulting in economic losses of approximately $41 million.

Job or task scams typically involve the scammer inviting the person to perform simple online activities, such as liking videos or rating product images, using terms like “boosting products” or “app optimization.” Although they are promised higher compensation for completing a certain number of tasks, the reality is that these jobs often cost more in the long run than they actually pay.

Scammers often contact victims through text messages or messaging apps like WhatsApp, offering supposed task jobs. The most common scam involves some type of cryptocurrency, where the scammer may ask the target to deposit money or "load" their account through an app to start working on new and more lucrative tasks. Additionally, it is common for them to try to convince their victims by showing fake testimonials from people who supposedly made money by completing these simple tasks.

Victims deposit money into their accounts with the expectation of receiving a return on their investment plus the promised compensation. However, the money they believe they have earned is not real, and any amount they have deposited is completely lost.

The FTC advises ignoring offers from text messages or WhatsApp from unknown senders and never paying someone under the promise of receiving money in the future. It is also suggested to avoid any job offers that involve rating or liking online content, as this practice is illegal and no honest company would engage in it.