Job and "Task" Scams: Paying to Earn Is Always a Trap

Job scams target people looking for easy part-time income. You are offered simple online "tasks" — liking videos, rating hotels, placing fake orders — with small commissions paid at first. The trap is that earning more requires you to "top up" your own money, which you never get back.

How the scam works

You receive an unsolicited offer by SMS, WhatsApp or Telegram. After a few small payouts, you are moved to a "VIP" set of tasks that need a deposit to unlock higher commissions. Each time you try to withdraw, there is another task or a bigger top-up required, until you stop paying and the chat goes silent.

Warning signs

• Unsolicited job offers with unusually high pay for simple tasks.
• You must deposit or "top up" your own money to earn or withdraw.
• Recruitment only through chat apps, with no real company details.
• Pressure to recruit friends or join "VIP" groups.

How to protect yourself

• A legitimate employer never asks you to pay to work or to release your earnings.
• Verify the company independently; search its name with the word "scam".
• Do not share your bank details or IC with unknown recruiters.
• Ignore and block unsolicited "easy money" offers.

If you have already paid

Stop topping up immediately. Call 997 and report to your bank with screenshots of the chats and your transfers.