ACG warns public vs ‘task scam’

MANILA, Philippines — People seeking extra income should be wary of online scams offering fraudulent job offers posted on social media platforms.

The Anti-Cybercrime Group (ACG) of the Philippine National Police said yesterday it has observed a surge in cases of fraudulent online job offers known as “task scams.”

ACG director Brig. Gen. Sidney Hernia said scammers use enticing social media advertisements to lure potential victims with the promise of a quick return on investments.

Once potential victims express interest, the scammers will pose as agents representing companies and contact them using social media applications.

Scammers would initially ask their victims to complete basic tasks that do not require investments such as liking posts, watching videos or sharing content to earn income.

Once these simple tasks are accomplished, Hernia said scammers would give commissions to their victims to gain their trust and confidence.

Afterwards, the victims are then required to invest money as they complete more tasks.

When they try to withdraw their earnings, the scammers invent technical issues and will demand more money from their victims.

Hernia cited the case of a 25-year-old woman from Baguio City who lost P400,000 in cash after initially investing P300 in July this year.

“There is no shortcut to financial stability, and it is imperative to verify the legitimacy of offers before making any financial commitments,” Hernia said in a statement.