FTC Data Reveals Surge in Online Job Scams, with Losses Exceeding $220 Million in 2024

By Stacy M. Brown | NNPA(NNPA) – New complaint data from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) shows a staggering rise in online job scams, particularly schemes known as “task scams,” which now account for nearly 40% of job scam reports in 2024. The sharp increase in these fraudulent activities has driven overall losses to job scams to more than $220 million in just the first six months of this year.According to the FTC’s latest data spotlight, reports of task scams have skyrocketed from zero in 2020 to 5,000 in 2023, before quadrupling to 20,000 in the first half of 2024 alone. These scams typically begin with unsolicited texts or WhatsApp messages offering vague online work opportunities. Consumers who respond are told they will be completing tasks like “app optimization” or “product boosting.”Victims may receive small payouts early on to build confidence in the job’s legitimacy. The scheme then escalates, requiring victims to invest their money to complete subsequent tasks, promising more significant payouts. However, once the money is sent, it is lost for good.“The supposed ‘job’ is to complete tasks in an app or online platform for which you’ll ‘earn money’ from a ‘commission’ on each click,” the FTC warned...