Keeping you and your money safe is our top priority, and we have stringent safeguarding measures in place to help protect all our customers. But there are also steps you need to take to protect yourself from fraud.
To help you identify potential scams and stay safe, we’re publishing a series of articles on fraud protection. This article looks at task scams.
What is a task scam?
Task scams involve fraudsters offering what appears to be simple online work, often described as ‘micro-tasks’, such as liking or rating social-media content, downloading or “optimising” apps, writing product reviews, or completing repetitive small jobs. The roles are presented as flexible, low-effort and quick to earn from, which makes them appealing to many people.
The scammer may initially make the job seem legitimate by offering small payments or visible account ‘credits’ for the first few tasks. However, the scam quickly shifts. To unlock your earnings or access higher-paying tasks, you are asked to make a payment yourself, often labelled as a processing fee. These payments are frequently requested via bank transfer or cryptocurrency, making them difficult to trace.
Instead of granting access to your funds, the scammer disappears once the payment is made. The promised money was never real. Task scams are a form of advanced fee fraud, designed to exploit trust, hope and curiosity.
An example of a task scam
Mark was looking for a flexible way to earn extra money alongside his work. One evening, he received a message through a social-media app inviting him to join a platform that paid users for completing short online tasks. The work seemed straightforward: liking posts, watching short videos and downloading apps. After completing a handful of tasks, Mark saw small amounts of money credited to his dashboard. Encouraged by this, he continued.
After a few days, Mark accumulated what appeared to be a meaningful balance. When he tried to withdraw the funds, a message popped up explaining he needed to pay a small fee to process his first withdrawal. It seemed reasonable — after all, he had seen money added to his balance — so he paid the amount requested.
However, after making the payment, nothing happened. His withdrawal remained ‘pending’. He contacted customer support, only to be told that an additional “verification fee” was required before the funds could be released. Feeling uneasy but still hopeful he could access his earnings, Mark paid again.
Once the second payment was sent, communication stopped completely, with the platform dashboard becoming unresponsive, before the website eventually disappeared. It soon became clear Mark had fallen victim to a task scam designed to extract multiple payments while giving the illusion of legitimate earnings.
Five tips on how to protect yourself from recovery scams
1. Research potential opportunities
Always confirm the legitimacy of any organisation offering online work, especially if the communication arrives unexpectedly through social media or messaging apps.
Check whether the platform or company genuinely exists. Look for clear contact details, independent reviews and evidence of real users. And if the offer comes from a known brand, always cross-check the details provided with the company’s official contact information.
2. Be wary of unrealistic earnings
Task scams frequently promise high pay for very minimal effort. If the earnings displayed seem disproportionate to the work involved, step back and reassess.
Fraudsters use inflated balances to create excitement and lure people deeper into the scam.
3. Question any request for a payment
If you are asked to pay a fee to unlock earnings, upgrade your account or access higher-paying tasks, treat this as a strong warning sign.
Genuine employers do not require payment from workers in order to release wages.
4. Protect your personal information
Scammers may ask for personal details under the guise of ‘verifying your account’. Only share information when you are confident the company is legitimate.
Providing unnecessary personal details may expose you to identity theft or further fraud attempts.
5. Don't rush into things
Fraudsters often try to create a sense of urgency to discourage careful thinking. If you feel pressured to act quickly or make a payment immediately, pause.
Scammers will often rely on people acting quickly without verifying who they are dealing with. Give yourself space to consider whether the offer feels safe and legitimate.
If someone targets you
If you suspect you are being targeted or have fallen victim to a task scam, take action immediately. Stop communication, avoid making further payments, and keep records of all messages and transactions.
Informing your bank or payment provider as soon as possible may help prevent additional losses and ensure your accounts are monitored for suspicious activity.
If you’ve been a victim, you can also get free specialist help from Victim Support.
You can also report any suspicious sites to the National Cyber Security Centre. The UK’s cybercrime reporting centre, Action Fraud, also has plenty of useful resources.
More information on task scams
Some of the organisations and websites listed above provide extensive guidance and resources on identifying scams and protecting yourself online. If you believe you have interacted with a fraudulent platform or clicked a suspicious link, you can use tools such as who.is. to check a website’s legitimacy.
As well as checking the FCA’s Register and Warning List, you can also find other information for consumers and firms on the FCA website.
Finally, we’re always more than happy to help our customers. If you’ve got any concerns or questions about the security of your Currencies Direct funds, or need guidance in relation to a transfer, please do get in touch.
You might also want to read our article on job scams, as the two types of scams share many similarities regarding fraudulent communications and impersonation fraud.
