Is your microtask a scam or legit? – San Diego Union-Tribune

Has someone sent you a message asking to get paid for microtasks, like liking photographs or rating product images? You could be the intended victim of a type of employment scam that the Federal Trade Commission says is sweeping the country. Is your microtask a scam or legit? Here’s how to find out.

Scam or legit

According to the new FTC data, Micro “task scams” ​​quadrupled in the first months of 2024, with some 20,000 incidents reported. These scams now represent nearly 40% of the agency’s employment scam reports. And they are largely responsible for the dramatic increase in consumer losses, totaling $220 million in the first half of 2024 alone.

Unfortunately for side hustlers, these microtask scams often appear almost identical to legitimate opportunities offered by a multitude of online platforms, such as MechanicsTurkish And Click Worker.

Most of these microtasks don’t make minimum wage. But some consumers like them because they’re easy. And there’s nothing stopping you from doing them while you watch TV.

Another thing that makes these scams seem legit? Scammers sometimes offer small payments for jobs to convince consumers the opportunity is real.

Red flags

So how do you know if your microtask is a scam or legit? It starts with how you found the position. The FTC says scammers usually approach you via text or WhatsApp messages.

Real gig companies don’t do that. They offer websites and apps that you can download from legitimate sites like Apple and Google Play. If the company you’re talking to asks you to work with them directly – or download something directly from them – be skeptical.

You pay them

Additionally, at some point the scammer will ask you to deposit your own money – often in untraceable cryptocurrency – to get a bigger reward. If you do this, your money is lost, says the FTC.

It should be noted that some legitimate “get paid to play” apps, such as MoneyGiraffe, Money bubble And Cash Bingo also encourage you to purchase products in order to earn higher rewards by playing their games. However, purchases are made by credit card and not cryptocurrency. (And, SideHusl.com don’t recommend any of these sites for a wide range of reasons which you can read about in our reviews, linked above.)

Legitimate options with low efforts and low salaries