A Pennsylvania grandmother says she lost the money she expected to live on in retirement after falling for a fast‑growing online employment scam that promises easy money for simple “tasks.”

Bonnie Haring of Reading, Berks County, told CBS News Philadelphia she thought she was signing up for a part‑time, remote job approving pre‑written positive hotel reviews — a gig she hoped could help cover inheritance taxes and legal fees after her mother died.

“I figured, ‘Oh, this would be a great way to raise a little money,'” Haring said.

Small deposits for “easy” tasks

Haring said the job appeared legitimate at first. She was told she would earn commissions for each review she approved. But to participate, she had to deposit her own money into the platform — beginning with $100, which the scammers matched.

All communication was through text messages in WhatsApp.

For several days, Haring said she was able to make deposits and withdrawals at the end of her “shift” as promised. But then the deposits increased. Haring said the scammers told her larger deposits would unlock higher‑level “tasks” and bigger commissions.

“It escalates very fast,” she said. “You can go to several thousands of dollars.”

Roadblocks and pressure tactics

Haring said she began running into roadblocks whenever she tried to withdraw her money. She said she was given different reasons each time.

In one instance she was told she deposited her money too late into her shift, which would negatively impact her credit score and require a fee to reverse. Another time she was told she needed to be promoted to another “level,” which required additional payments.

“Every time I went to take it out, there was something that was stopping me,” Haring said. “They come up with a different thing — ‘You can’t do it, now you have to pay this.'”

Rapidly growing scam trend

According to the Federal Trade Commission, these so‑called “task scams” typically lure victims with promises of rising earnings for each completed action — as long as they put in their own money. 

The companies behind them are not real, and neither are the earnings.

Kathy Stokes, director of fraud prevention at AARP, said these scams are now the biggest threat facing job seekers.

“It relies on confusion and complexity and the need for money,” Stokes said. “Even if it doesn’t seem to make sense, you’re looking at the end game. It’s the psychological game they’re playing.”

A devastating loss

Haring eventually suspected she was being scammed, but she said the panic of trying to recover her deposits pushed her to keep paying. Over the course of just a few days, she lost more than $220,000.

“I do cry sometimes at night,” she said. “I’ve always been able to help my family … and now I can’t, and it really hurts.”

Haring reported the incident to police and the FBI, but investigators say victims of these scams rarely get their money back.

What the FTC says you need to know

  • No legitimate employer will pay you to like, rate or review content online — it’s illegal.
  • No real employer communicates only through text message, as scammers did with Haring.
  • The biggest red flag: You should never have to pay money in order to get paid.

Looking for help with a consumer issue? Click here to submit your complaint to In Your Corner.

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