Paid to like videos or rate hotels? That is the task scam
By Bhagirath Sheela, founder of JobCatch ·
Already paid, or shared an OTP? Call 1930, the national cybercrime helpline, straight away, tell your bank, and report it at cybercrime.gov.in. The sooner it is reported, the better the chance the money can be frozen.
A message like this
Part time job from home! Earn Rs 3,000 daily by liking YouTube videos. Simple tasks, daily payout. No experience needed, without investment. Message us to start today.
This looks like a scam
- It promises easy daily money for small tasks. These pay a little at first, then ask for a deposit you never get back.
This is what the scam check in the JobCatch app says about the message above, word for word. The message is an example written the way these scams are written; the names and numbers in it are made up.
How this scam works
It starts with a message offering easy money for small tasks: liking videos, subscribing to channels, rating hotels or "reviewing products". The first few tasks really do pay ₹50 or ₹150, to your UPI. That builds trust.
Then you are moved to a Telegram group and offered "prepaid tasks" or "merchant tasks" that pay more — but need a deposit first. Your account shows a growing balance. To withdraw it, you are told to pay again: a tax, an upgrade, a penalty for an incomplete task. The balance is fake and the deposits are gone.
What a real employer does
Real part-time and work-from-home jobs pay for work an employer needs, under a written agreement, and never ask you to deposit money to unlock your own earnings.
What to do
- Do not pay anything, and do not share an OTP or PIN.
- Look for the same job on the company's official website.
- If you have already paid, call 1930 (the national cybercrime helpline) straight away and tell your bank.
Questions
The first tasks paid me. Doesn't that mean it is real?
No. Paying small amounts first is how the scam earns your trust before asking for larger deposits. It is the defining pattern of the task scam.
Can I get my task-scam money back?
Report it immediately on 1930 and at cybercrime.gov.in with the UPI IDs and transaction IDs. Money can sometimes be frozen if reported quickly. Do not pay anyone who offers to recover it for a fee — that is a second scam.
Other warning signs: Registration fees · OTP and bank details · Penalty threats · WhatsApp-only recruiters · Selected without interview · Pressure to act now · Gmail recruiters · Shortened links · all nine, in one guide