What it looks like
"Hello, I am Ashley from a staffing agency. Your resume was recommended to us. We have a flexible part-time remote position, 60 to 90 minutes a day, paying $300 to $800 daily. Are you interested? Reply on WhatsApp: [link]"
An example. Real ones change their wording, amounts and names all the time.
How it works
The text says a recruiter found your resume and has flexible work for you. The job sounds simple: click to rate products, boost apps or like videos, and earn a commission for each 'task'. A friendly trainer shows you the ropes, and an online dashboard shows your earnings growing. Some people are even paid a small amount at first.
Then the tasks change. The dashboard says your account has gone negative, and you must deposit your own money, usually in crypto, to clear it and unlock what you earned. Each deposit leads to a bigger one. Other versions send you a check for 'equipment', ask you to reship packages, or use your bank account to move money. Those can leave you owing the bank or caught up in someone else's crime.
It works because many people really do want flexible work from home, and the early small payment feels like proof. The FTC says honest employers will never ask you to pay to get a job, and reshipping goods is never a real job.
Signs it is fake
- A job offer you never applied for, sent by text or WhatsApp
- Big pay for simple tasks, like rating products, liking videos or 'boosting' apps
- You must deposit money, often crypto, to unlock tasks or get your earnings
- A check to buy equipment, with a request to send part of it to a 'vendor'
- A request to receive packages and reship them, or to move money through your bank account
What to do
- Do not reply. Delete the text and block the number.
- Never pay to get a job or to get your pay. Honest employers will never ask for that.
- Look for work through places you choose, like a company's own careers page or your local job center.
If you already clicked, called or paid
- Stop sending money. More deposits will not unlock your earnings.
- If you deposited a check from them, tell your bank it may be fake.
- If you shared your Social Security number or bank details, visit identitytheft.gov. Report the scam at reportfraud.ftc.gov.
Being fooled is not your fault. These messages are made by professionals to look real. Acting quickly is what matters. See what to do if you paid a scammer.
Not sure about a message?
Forward it to Uncle at +1 208 214 0093, or send a screenshot. He tells you plainly what looks wrong. He never asks for passwords or codes, and he never texts first. How it works.
Worried about a parent? With the Family plan, you get a heads up when a likely scam reaches them.
More common scams
- Unpaid toll text
- Package delivery text
- Bank fraud alert text
- Amazon order or account text
- See all common scams
Written by the Textuncle team. Last updated October 3, 2026.
Text Uncle