Text Job Scam Costs Rick S. $10,000 in Crypto After Fake App Work Pitch

1 articles · Updated · Fox News · Jun 15

Rick S. said he lost about $10,000 in cryptocurrency after a text message offering extra income through app-uploading work drew him into a fake job scheme.
The scam followed a common task-scam pattern: a recruiter used a company-sounding name, showed supposed earnings on a platform, then pushed him to keep sending crypto to unlock more work or withdrawals.
The FBI and FTC say these scams often start on text, WhatsApp or Telegram, use vague terms like app optimization or product boosting, and become hard to reverse once crypto is sent.
FTC data shows crypto is now a favored payment method in task scams, while Americans reporting cryptocurrency-related complaints logged more than $11 billion in losses in 2025.
Key warning signs include unsolicited job texts, unclear job duties and any demand to deposit crypto; victims should stop paying, save records and report the fraud to IC3, the FTC and their crypto platform.