Reports of job fraud have quadrupled in 2024.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) reported a rise in “task scams,” a type of online job fraud where victims are duped into paying money in exchange for promised earnings. These scams, which often begin with unsolicited messages about vague job opportunities, have grown from zero reports in 2020 to 20,000 in the first half of 2024.
Victims are initially paid small amounts for completing simple tasks, creating a false sense of legitimacy. However, they are then asked to invest their own money to continue working, only to lose those funds with no return. Task scams now account for nearly 40 percent of job scam complaints in 2024, contributing to the $220 million in reported job scam losses during the first six months of the year.
Cryptocurrency is the preferred payment method for such schemes, with reported losses tied to crypto job scams nearly doubling to $41 million in early 2024. The FTC advises consumers to avoid responding to unsolicited job offers via text or WhatsApp, never pay upfront to earn money, and distrust anyone offering payment to “like” or review content online.
As the Lord Leads, Pray with Us…
- For Chair Khan and the other commissioners as they seek to protect job hunters from employment scams.
- For Director Samuel Levine as he heads the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection.
Sources: Federal Trade Commission
