Mar 6, 2026
A Pennsylvania retiree thought she had found an easy way to earn extra cash online. Instead, she lost the savings she had expected to rely on for the rest of her life.
Bonnie Haring, a grandmother from Berks County, told CBS News Philadelphia she accepted a simple remote job approving pre-written hotel reviews.
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The position promised commissions for each completed task, which sounded like a flexible side gig she hoped would help cover inheritance taxes and legal expenses after her mother’s death.
Within days, authorities say, the opportunity revealed itself to be a sophisticated “task scam” that ultimately cost her more than $220,000.
How the scam worked
At first, the platform seemed legitimate. Haring said she had to deposit $100 to begin working. For several days, she was able to withdraw small sums after completing tasks, reinforcing the illusion that the job was real.
Then the rules changed.
She found that higher-paying tasks required larger deposits. When she tried to withdraw her money, she encountered obstacles: fees, timing penalties and “level upgrades” that required additional payments. Each roadblock came with pressure to act quickly to avoid losing her earnings.
“It escalates very fast,” she said. Over just a few days, she sent more and more money trying to recover what she had already deposited, until the total exceeded $221,000 (1).
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A fast-growing fraud category
In a task scam, the FTC explains, fraudsters assign their victims simple, repetitive activities such as leaving reviews. After each task, they claim you’ll earn commissions for each action through an app or platform. In reality, the payouts don’t exist (or don’t cover what you put in), and the only people who profit are the scammers (2).
Employment scams have surged alongside remote work and the gig economy. According to Federal Trade Commission consumer alerts and data, losses from job scams exceeded $220 million in the first half of 2024 alone (3).
The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) annual reports show that internet crime complaints and related financial losses remain extremely high. In 2024, there were 859,532 complaints and reported losses over $16 billion, a 33% increase from 2023 (4).
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Task scams can also be effective because they disguise theft as work rather than investment. Victims believe they’re earning income, not risking savings.
Kathy Stokes, director of fraud prevention at AARP, told CBS that the schemes exploit financial stress and the psychological pressure job seekers face.
"It relies on confusion and complexity and the need for money," Stokes said to CBS. "Even if it doesn't seem to make sense … it's the psychological game they're playing" (1).
Why losses can be permanent
Many task scams require payment in cryptocurrency or other hard-to-trace methods. Unlike credit-card transactions, crypto transfers typically cannot be reversed unless the recipient voluntarily returns the funds (5).
Haring reported her loss to police and federal authorities, but investigators said recovery rates are extremely low. Still, she says the emotional toll has been severe. She sometimes cries at night, she told reporters, because she can no longer help her family financially.
Read More: Dave Ramsey says this 7-step plan ‘works every single time’ to kill debt, get rich in America — and that ‘anyone’ can do it
3 red flags for fraud
Consumer protection officials say most job scams share a handful of warning signs. The FTC urges job seekers to watch for these major red flags:
- You need to pay upfront to get paid: Legitimate employers never require upfront deposits, fees or “upgrades” before you can work.
- Offers out of the blue: Employers don’t seek to recruit using random, generic text messages
- Seemingly useless, repetitive task work: Promises that you will make money just by clicking, liking, or reviewing content are often fraudulent and, in some cases, illegal for real companies to pay for (3).
As more Americans search for remote work or side income, scammers are exploiting economic anxiety and digital job platforms. Anyone — including retirees, professionals and students — can become a target.
If a job requires you to send money first, it isn’t a job. It’s a scam.
Victims who believe they’ve encountered fraud can report it to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov (6) or file a complaint with the FBI’s IC3 (7). Authorities say that reporting promptly increases the likelihood of tracking criminals and protecting future victims.
Article Sources
We rely only on vetted sources and credible third-party reporting. For details, see our editorial ethics and guidelines.
CBS News Philadelphia (1); FTC (2, 3, 6); IC3 (4, 7); Stripe (5)
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Monique Danao is a highly experienced journalist, editor and copywriter with 8 years of expertise in finance and technology. Her work has been featured in leading publications such as Forbes, Decential, 99Designs, Fast Capital 360, Social Media Today and the South China Morning Post.
