Short answer
Almost always, yes. These offers pay you a small amount for the first few easy tasks, such as liking a video or giving a shop five stars. Then they move you into a group where the "bigger" tasks require you to send your own money first, with a promise of commission. The amounts grow, and the money never comes back.
A real job does not ask you to deposit money to work. If you are asked to pay to unlock tasks, stop and leave the group.
If you have already started
- Stop sending money, including any "fee" to withdraw your earnings or "fix a mistake" in your account.
- Take screenshots of the chat, the group, the website and every transfer.
- Call your bank's hotline from the back of your card and report the transfers as fraud.
- Report to the police on 113 or at your local police station, and bring your evidence.
- Leave the group and block the accounts. Expect them to message you again from new ones.
- Ignore anyone who offers to get your money back for a fee. That is a second scam.
How to recognise a task scam
- You get a message out of the blue offering easy work for high pay.
- The "recruiter" only talks through chat apps and won't meet or give a company address.
- The first tasks pay small amounts quickly, to win your trust.
- You are told to deposit money to do "premium" or "combo" tasks.
- Your balance on their website keeps rising, but you can't withdraw it without paying more.
- Other members of the group celebrate big earnings. Many of them are part of the scam.
Why the first payments feel real
Getting a real transfer for liking a video makes the job feel genuine. That small payment is the bait. The website then shows a balance that grows, which is just a number on a page they control. When you ask to withdraw, a new rule appears: a tax, a fee, a penalty for a late task.
How AI makes it more convincing
Scammers use AI to write friendly, error-free messages, make fake company profiles and run many chats at once. A polished message is no proof that the job exists. Look at what they ask you to do with money.
Common questions
They paid me already. How can it be a scam?
The early payments are part of the plan. They are small, and they make you comfortable sending larger amounts later.
Can I get my money back?
Sometimes, if you act fast. Contact your bank right away on the official hotline and report to the police. The sooner they know, the better the chance of freezing the receiving account.
Is every online rating job fake?
Real research panels exist, but they never ask you to pay to take part. Any job that needs your money first should be treated as a scam.
Reviewed October 2026