PlotFraud

Fake jobs that charge you a fee

Longer note · updated October 2026

Fake side jobs borrow the look of real ones, often including the names and logos of real companies. They tend to follow a few patterns.

Patterns to recognise

• Paying to start: registration fees, kits, training packs or account "activation". Real work pays you.
• Moving money: receiving transfers and passing them on, or buying gift cards to be reimbursed. This can draw you into money laundering.
• Tasks that need deposits: rating products or liking videos, then being asked to top up a balance to continue.
• Urgency and private chats: pressure to act today, or to move the conversation to a private messaging app.
• Pay out of all proportion: high rates for unskilled work with no interview.

Checking an offer

Find the company's official site yourself, rather than using a link you were sent, and contact them through it. Search the company name with words like "scam" or "complaint".

If you've paid

Don't send more money, even if a refund is promised after one more fee. Contact your bank immediately, keep every message and receipt, and report it to the police and the consumer protection authority.