A remote job asks me to deposit money to unlock tasks: what should I check?

A displayed balance is not proof of earnings

Scamwatch, the Australian Government’s scam awareness and reporting service, warns that job scams often involve upfront payments, task-based work, and requests for personal information. Scammers may impersonate legitimate businesses, including well-known recruitment agencies and online shopping platforms. A recruiter's profile, a chat group, or a displayed account balance does not independently establish that the job is real or that you will be paid. If you are asked to use your own money to obtain work or unlock tasks, treat this as a reason to stop and verify before making any further transfer. A demand to pay more to unlock tasks or withdraw a displayed balance is a strong warning sign; a separate training or credential cost also needs independent verification, rather than trust in the recruiter’s explanation.

Verify outside the conversation

To check whether the job offer is genuine, locate the business's contact details independently—for example, by searching for the official website or phone number—and ask the company directly whether the person you are dealing with is a real recruiter and whether the vacancy exists. Compare the employer entity named in the agreement with the business you find. Do not rely on a phone number or verification link supplied by the same recruiter, as these may be part of the scam. Keep a record of the payment demand, the recipient details, and what work was promised, but do not publish anyone's identity online. If you are unsure, ask a trusted friend or family member for a second opinion, and search the company's name along with the word 'scam' to see if others have reported it. The absence of search results or scam reports does not establish that a recruiter is genuine.

If money or identity information was sent

If you have already sent money or shared identity documents, act promptly. Contact your bank or payment provider immediately, explain the transaction, and ask them to stop any further payments. Preserve all messages, transaction references, and screenshots for the fraud-reporting process. Review your account access and any identity documents you shared, and change compromised or reused passwords from a trusted device; if you installed remote-access software, tell your bank and seek help securing that device. Do not pay a further 'tax', 'release fee', or 'recovery fee' simply because someone promises it will unlock the money already transferred—this is a common tactic to extract more money. If you need help with identity recovery, IDCARE, a national identity and cyber support service, can assist you for free.

Keep reporting separate from recovery promises

When you report the scam, provide a factual timeline: when you were first contacted, the role that was promised, the payments you made, and any subsequent demands. Seek help through independently verified channels, such as Scamwatch's official reporting page or your bank's fraud department. A report does not guarantee reimbursement, and another person who claims they can recover your funds may need the same scrutiny as the initial recruiter. This guide helps you organise immediate checks; it cannot investigate the business or determine whether a particular transfer is recoverable. Always verify any recovery service independently before engaging with them.

Warning signs of a task-based job scam

Task-based job scams often share common warning signs. You may be contacted unexpectedly through text message or encrypted messaging apps like WhatsApp, Signal, or Telegram. The offer promises high income for little effort, with no interview or discussion of your qualifications, experience, or references. You are told to top up an account with your own money or cryptocurrency to complete tasks, or to pay a 'recruitment fee' or for training materials before you begin. The job may involve transferring money, making purchases, or receiving packages on behalf of someone else. If you see these signs, stop and verify before proceeding.

Prepare a transaction record

List each transfer separately: date, amount and currency, payment method, recipient account or wallet, transaction reference, and the message that requested it. Separate money actually transferred from the balance displayed by the task website. Give this record through the bank or reporting service’s verified channel, and keep the originals. Ask what action has been taken and whether any further evidence is needed; neither an on-screen balance nor a report establishes recoverable earnings.

Example: How to apply these checks

Imagine you receive a WhatsApp message from someone claiming to be a recruiter for a well-known online shopping platform. They offer you a work-from-home job that involves rating products, and they say you can earn a high income with no experience. They ask you to create an account on a website and deposit the equivalent of A$100 in cryptocurrency to unlock your first tasks. The website shows your balance increasing after each task, but when you try to withdraw, you are told you need to deposit more to 'release' your earnings. In this situation, you should stop payment, independently verify the recruiter by contacting the actual company using a phone number you find yourself, and ask: 'Is this person a real recruiter, and does this job exist?' If the company says no, or you cannot verify, do not send more money. Report the scam to Scamwatch and your bank.

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