Job Offer Text Message From a Number You Don't Know — It's a Scam
You received a text from an unknown number offering a high-paying remote job, often involving simple tasks like reviewing products or liking posts. These unsolicited job texts are scams. They lead to fake task platforms that eventually ask you to deposit money to 'unlock' your earnings, which you will never see.
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How This Scam Works
High Risk — Unsolicited Job Offers by Text Are Scams
Legitimate employers do not send unsolicited job offers by text to strangers. These texts lead to task scams that steal your money.
Note: This scam typically arrives via text message, not email. If you received a suspicious email, forward it to check@scam.support for a free risk assessment. For text scams, report to the FTC — see all reporting agencies.
You receive a text from an unknown number offering a high-paying remote job, often involving simple tasks like reviewing products, liking social media posts, or rating apps. If you respond, you are directed to a messaging app and given small paid tasks to build trust. Eventually, you are asked to deposit your own money to "unlock" higher-paying tasks. The money you deposit is stolen, and your "earnings" never materialize.
According to the FTC, job scams were one of the fastest-growing fraud types in 2023, with reported losses of over $491 million. Task-based scams, where victims are lured with simple paid tasks before being asked to invest their own money, have been a particularly fast-growing variant.
Red Flags
- Text offers a job from someone you have never contacted
- Promises high pay for simple tasks like reviewing or liking
- Moves the conversation to WhatsApp or Telegram
- Eventually asks you to deposit money to unlock earnings
- The job description is vague and too good to be true
What You Should Do
What To Do
- Do not respond to the text
- Do not move to WhatsApp or Telegram to continue the conversation
- Never deposit money for a job — legitimate employers pay you, not the other way around
- Block the number
- Forward the scam text to 7726 (SPAM)
Sources
- FTC Consumer Sentinel Network Data Book 2023 — Job scam losses
- FTC Consumer Alert — How to spot and avoid task scams