NoScams
Remote job offer texts that are scams
Updated October 23, 2026
The text people are getting
Hi there! Sorry to interrupt. I’m from Indeed. We’re currently recruiting remote product testers (U.S.-based). This role lets you earn $50–$400 per day by spending just 60–120 minutes daily testing and reviewing new products or services online.
As reported by Slate, August 2025.
Hi, I’m Calista from Robert Half Recruiting ?? Your resume stood out on multiple platforms. We’re hiring 50 people to help developers boost visibility. Earn $250–$500/day ($7,000–$10,000/month) plus bonuses. Free training, no experience needed, age 25+. Text “Job Info” to [phone number] to learn more.
As reported by BBB Scam Tracker (consumer report), January 2026.
How the scam works
- An unexpected text offers easy remote work. Testing products, "boosting" apps, or helping "developers boost visibility," for $50 to $500 a day. The names of real companies make it look legitimate.
- You're handed to a "mentor." The chat moves off text to a messaging app, and the "mentor" walks you through tasks on a platform that shows your "earnings."
- Then you have to pay. After some training, you're told to add your own money to unlock the next set of tasks. In the case Slate followed, the "mentor" said the account balance had to be at least $100 to reset the tasks. The FBI says these fake employers often ask for payments in cryptocurrency.
Signs it's a scam
- You never applied. The recruiter found you, not the other way around.
- Big pay for very little work. Hundreds of dollars a day for an hour or two online.
- Reply YES or text a keyword. The FTC says these texts ask you to reply "YES" or "INTERESTED."
- You have to pay to work. Deposits, "upgrades," or fees to unlock tasks or withdraw earnings.
What real employers do
The FTC says real employers will never contact you that way, and to never pay to get paid or to get a job. The FBI's advice is the same: never send money to an alleged employer. If a text names a company you'd like to work for, go to that company's careers website yourself to look for real openings.
If you already paid
- Stop sending money, even if you're told one more payment will release your earnings.
- Call your bank, or the app or exchange you paid through, and ask whether the payment can be stopped or reversed.
- Read what to do if you clicked a scam link if you shared personal details like your Social Security number.
Report it
- Forward the text to 7726 (SPAM) so your carrier can block the sender. How to report spam texts on iPhone.
- Report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
- If you lost money, also report it to the FBI at ic3.gov.
Questions
Is the Indeed recruiter text real?
A text that says it's from Indeed and offers $50 to $400 a day for testing products online fits the task-scam pattern. The Slate reporter who followed one through found no reason to believe Indeed was involved. To check any job offer, go to the company's careers site yourself.
Why do they ask me to reply YES or text a keyword?
The FTC says these texts ask you to reply "YES" or "INTERESTED" to learn more. A reply tells the scammer your number works and that you're interested, and the pitch moves on from there.
What is a task scam?
It's a fake job where you "complete tasks" like rating products or boosting apps in an online platform. The FTC says these scams begin with an unexpected message offering work like "optimization" or "product boosting." Eventually you're asked to deposit your own money, often in crypto, to keep going.
I already paid. What now?
Stop paying, even if you're told one more deposit will unlock your earnings. Save the messages and payment details, call your bank or the exchange you used, and report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and ic3.gov.