Scams change their story often, but the patterns repeat. If you know the patterns, you can spot new versions quickly. Ghana's Cyber Security Authority (CSA) has issued public alerts about fake jobs and recruitment scams, and takes reports.
The task scam
The CSA has described this pattern in its alerts:
- You receive an unsolicited message by SMS, email or a messaging app, from someone posing as a recruiter.
- They offer remote or part time work doing simple digital tasks, such as liking posts, rating products or referring friends.
- You are moved to WhatsApp or Telegram and asked to sign up on a website or "portal".
- Early tasks pay small amounts, to build your trust.
- Then you are asked to deposit money to unlock better tasks or to release your earnings.
- After you deposit, you are locked out and the contacts disappear.
Other common freelance scams
- Pay to get work. A "client" or "agency" asks for a registration fee, a fee for training materials, or payment for software before you can start.
- The overpayment trick. A client sends more than the agreed amount, or shows a payment screenshot, then asks you to refund the difference quickly. The original payment later turns out to be fake or reversed, and your refund is gone.
- Fake payment alerts. You receive a message that looks like a mobile money or bank alert, but no money is in your actual balance.