Crypto job and "task" scams: when an online job asks you to deposit crypto

The message arrives out of nowhere, by text or WhatsApp: a recruiter for a well-known company is offering flexible remote work. No experience needed, a few hours a day, just rate some products or “optimize” some apps. The pay looks great, and for the first few days the app even shows your commissions growing.

Then you’re told that to unlock the next set of tasks, or to withdraw what you’ve earned, you need to deposit some money first. In crypto.

This is a task scam, a version of the fake job scam that regulators in the US and Canada say has grown fast and relies heavily on cryptocurrency. This guide explains how it works, how big the problem is, and how to spot and stop it.

How the scam works

The FTC, the FBI and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC) describe the same pattern:

1. Unexpected contact. You get an unsolicited call, text, WhatsApp or other message offering work. The CAFC says scammers often reach people who have shared their resume and contact details on job websites.
2. Simple, repetitive tasks. The “job” is something like liking videos, rating products or restaurants, or “boosting” apps and products. The FBI notes that job descriptions often use the word “optimization”.
3. A fake platform. You install an app or log in to a website that shows your earnings rising with every task. The FTC says the app creates the illusion that you’re earning commissions.
4. A small first payout. The CAFC says victims may receive a small payment or commission to convince them the job is real.
5. The deposit. Then comes the twist. The FTC says the platform will ask you to deposit your own money, usually in crypto, to complete the next set of tasks and get your earnings out. The FBI describes a confusing pay structure that requires crypto payments to earn more or “unlock” work.
6. No way out. You see the money in your account, but you can’t withdraw it. Each new “level” demands a bigger deposit.

Some versions add pressure to recruit friends for higher earnings. The CAFC points out that this is pyramid selling, which is illegal in Canada.

How big the problem is

United States, FBI: in its 2025 report, the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) recorded:

Of the 2025 complaints, 10,338 had a cryptocurrency link, with $288.2 million in losses. The IC3 also reported almost $13 million in losses to employment scams involving AI in 2025.

United States, FTC: the FTC said in December 2024 that task scam reports went from zero in 2020 to about 5,000 in 2023, then to about 20,000 in just the first half of 2024. Reported losses to job scams more than tripled from 2020 to 2023 and topped $220 million in the first half of 2024. Crypto losses to job scams reached about $41 million in the first half of 2024, nearly double the amount for all of 2023. The FTC estimated that task scams made up nearly 40% of job scam reports in 2024, and called cryptocurrency the payment of choice for these scams.

Canada: in May 2024 the CAFC warned that it was seeing an increase in crypto job frauds that use the names of real Canadian companies.

Other fake jobs that end in crypto

Task scams aren’t the only fake jobs. The FTC describes other common versions, several of which can end with you sending crypto or someone else’s money:

Whatever the story, any job that involves moving money or goods for strangers can drag you into a crime. See P2P crypto trading risks for how money mules are used.

Warning signs

The FBI, FTC and CAFC point to these red flags:

• You’re contacted out of the blue by text, WhatsApp or social media. The FTC says real employers will never contact you that way.
• You have to pay, in crypto or otherwise, to work, to reach a new level or to withdraw.
• The tasks are simple and repetitive: liking, rating, “boosting” or “optimizing”.
• No interview or references. The FBI notes that scammers don’t require references.
• The pay is far above what the work is worth.
• You’re encouraged to recruit others.
• You’re asked to receive money and forward it. The CAFC warns that this may make you a money mule.

How to protect yourself

• Never pay to get paid. The FTC calls a demand to pay money to get the money you’ve supposedly earned a sure sign of a scam.
• Ignore unexpected job messages, and don’t click links, download files or open attachments in them, as the FBI advises.
• Never send money to an “employer”, and don’t share financial or personal identification details with people making unsolicited offers.
• Check the company yourself. Find its official website and careers page independently, and contact it directly.
• Don’t install apps sent by a “recruiter”.

If you’ve already paid

1. Stop paying. No further deposit will unlock your earnings.
2. Contact your payment provider straight away. The FTC says to contact the company you paid through, whether a card issuer, payment app, wire transfer service or crypto platform, and ask to reverse the transaction. Crypto transfers usually can’t be reversed, but it’s still worth asking quickly.
3. Save the evidence: messages, the app or website address, usernames, wallet addresses and transaction IDs.
4. Report it. In the US, to the FBI at ic3.gov and to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. In the UK, to Report Fraud. In Canada, to the CAFC and your local police. See crypto scams and where to report them.
5. Tell your bank or exchange how you bought the crypto you sent.
6. Beware of “recovery” services. The FBI advises not to pay for services that claim they can recover lost crypto. See crypto recovery scams.
7. Check the tax position of your loss. See crypto scam losses and tax.

Related scams

Task scams share techniques with other crypto frauds: fake platforms that show invented balances, and “fees” demanded before a withdrawal. See pig butchering scams, AI crypto trading bot scams and bitcoin ATMs: risks and scams.