A new study by the Better Business Bureau shows job hunters are being tricked out of thousands of dollars with a new tactic — task-based scams where they are offered high pay to “like” and “subscribe” to videos online.
Over the last three years, BBB’s Scam Tracker received nearly 50,000 report from those who have falling victim to an employment scam. Reports exploded in 2025, doubling over the previous year. BBB received hundreds of reports involving task-based scams where fraudsters impersonated popular companies.
In the new study “Employment scams soar, ‘video boosters’ left unpaid, and education needs are paramount,” BBB’s International Investigations Initiative examined patterns of reports, reviewed the amount of money lost and share stories from those caught up in the scams so consumers can avoid them.
Key findings:
• Over 600 reports to BBB about employment scams were “task-based”
• Job scams conducted over text message exploded in 2025, making up half of all reports
• Employment scams are rising, despite extensive public information about this type of fraud
• Median losses shrank since 2023 but remain high at $1,000
Employment scam reports across North America
BBB Scam Tracker employment scams by year:
The red flags of an employment scams:
• Unprompted job offers
• Jobs offered without an interview
• Too-good-to-be-true salaries
• High-pressure offers to take a job immediately
• Interviewers refuse to turn on camera
• Payment to like or subscribe to videos online
• Charges or taxes to withdraw money already earned
• Upfront costs to begin work
How to employment scams:
• Do research on companies offering jobs. If someone reaches out to you out of the blue, attempt to find a posting for the job on the company’s official website.
• Never pay money to get your paycheck. No legitimate job will ask you to pay taxes or any other fee to “unlock” funds you have already earned.
• Avoid jobs paying you to watch videos, like them or subscribe to a channel. In nearly every case, this will be a scam.
• Always use video in an interview if possible. If an employer offers you a job without an interview, be wary.
Visit BBB.org to check out a business or register a complaint, BBB Scam Tracker to report a scam and BBB.org/scamstudies for more on scams.
Better Business Bureau