Georgia woman loses $30,000 to remote job scam
GEORGIA, UNITED STATES — What started as a search for flexible, part-time work ended in heartbreak for a Georgia woman who lost nearly $30,000 to a sophisticated remote job scam.
Dorothy, who asked that her last name not be used, says she was targeted after posting her information on a legitimate job search site.
“My thing was to find something just a couple hours a day… two or three days a week,” Dorothy explained to 11Alive, citing health issues as her motivation for seeking remote work. When she received a text message offering a remote position, she accepted, believing it was a genuine opportunity.
“All you have to do is check the merchants’ accounts app, make sure the programming is correct,” Dorothy recalled being told. “You’ll be paid for the training.”
At first, Dorothy did receive payments for completing initial tasks and training. When she grew suspicious, the scammers provided what appeared to be authentic company credentials. “I saw the name of the company… all the information matched,” she said, admitting, “I probably should have probed further.”
How the ‘task scam’ works
The scam, known as a “task scam,” is on the rise nationwide, according to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Scammers lure victims with unsolicited job offers, often in fields like “app optimization” or “product boosting.” After building trust with small payments, they demand larger investments from victims to continue earning.
“I paid about $30,000,” Dorothy said, “in small increments going up.”
An investigation revealed that the business documents sent to Dorothy were fake, even carrying a counterfeit Maine Secretary of State seal. Her case is one of many fueling a surge in job scam losses, which the FTC says more than tripled between 2020 and 2023. In the first half of 2024 alone, $220 million was lost to job scams.
“These are professional syndicate criminals and alliances,” said FBI Atlanta Supervisory Special Agent Aaron Seres. “They understand you. They’ve looked at your social media. They’ve profiled you.”
Authorities urge vigilance
Scammers are increasingly hard to trace, often operating overseas and using platforms like PayPal, wire transfers, and cryptocurrency to move stolen funds. Dorothy reported the scam to local and federal agencies but received little response.
Now, she hopes her story will serve as a warning: “Question everything… verify everything.”
The FTC and FBI urge job seekers to search online for company reviews and complaints, talk to someone you trust before accepting offers, never pay for the promise of a job, and be wary of “cleared” checks and requests to forward funds.
