LW fraud
How fake side jobs usually look
People looking for extra income are a favourite target for fraud. The offers change their wording often, but the patterns underneath stay the same. If an offer matches any of these, stop.
You're asked to pay first
A registration fee, a starter kit, a training package, “equipment” you must buy from them. Real work pays you; it doesn't charge you to begin.
Money passes through your account
You receive a payment and are asked to send part of it on, buy gift cards, or move it into crypto. This is often money laundering, and the person whose account was used can face serious legal trouble.
The job arrives uninvited
A message on a messaging app or social network from a “recruiter” you never contacted, offering easy tasks such as liking posts or rating products, often with small early payments to build trust.
The pay makes no sense for the task
If the reward is far beyond what the work would normally be worth, the work isn't what's being bought.
Pressure and secrecy
Urgent deadlines, “limited places”, and requests not to discuss the offer with anyone are there to stop you from checking.
What to do
- Don't send money, documents or card details.
- Look the company up independently, not through the links they sent.
- Report the message on the platform where it arrived, and to your national consumer or fraud authority.
- If you've already paid, contact your bank straight away.