Issue #6

That “App Optimization” Job Is a Scam!

Ahoy there, fellow Netizens!

Today I want to talk about the job market. Because it’s tough out there, and, unfortunately, scammers are making it even rougher!

The Offer

On Wednesday, I received a text message from someone calling themselves Sarah. She told me she worked at ACCUR Recruiting and had gotten my phone number from a “recruiting database.” “Can I share some job opening information with you?” she asked.

Despite Sarah’s polite and pleasant tone, she was a scammer. Interested to see where this scam went, I told her to go ahead. But instead of telling me about what the job entailed, she said someone would reach out to me on WhatsApp with further information. Unfortunately, they never followed up, but based on posts describing similar situations on r/scams, I suspect the “job opportunity” was what’s known as a task scam.

The Scam

In a task scam, you have to perform a batch of simple tasks, often under the guise of optimizing apps. For example, you might be instructed to sign up at the scammer’s website and then click “submit” 40 times to give apps five star reviews.

The kicker is that you need to add crypto (often in the form of USDT) to these platforms to do the tasks and withdraw your “profits.” Certain tasks, usually called “combo tasks,” reduce the funds in your account to zero and require you to add more funds to the platform to complete them. If you don’t complete a combo task, you cannot finish the batch. And if you cannot finish the batch, you cannot withdraw your funds.

The scammers know these “combo tasks” might raise some red flags, but they have a devious plan to hook you anyway: they’ll have a “trainer” guide you through the first batch. The trainer will act excited when a combo task appears, telling you it means bigger profits, and they may even top up your account with their funds. Then, with the combo task completed, the scammers will allow you to withdraw your earnings, making everything seem legitimate.

The next time you start a batch and get hit with a combo task, you may then decide to send funds to the platform, thinking it’s safe to do so. But if you do, you’ll get hit with another combo task and then another, potentially requiring you to submit thousands of dollars to complete them. This time, the scammers will not let you withdraw your funds no matter what you do, and your money will be gone forever.

The only silver lining is that, once you know about it, this type of scam is pretty easy to spot. So, spread the word to any job seekers you know!

Until next time, stay safe out there!