Task Scams in Nigeria: App-Rating and Recharge Fraud
Task scams targeting Nigerians promise daily income for rating apps, reviewing products, or boosting social media accounts, then demand escalating recharge deposits that are never refunded. Victims lose savings chasing promised withdrawals.
Part of: Task Scams
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
Nigeria's large youth population, high smartphone adoption rate, and enthusiasm for digital income opportunities have made it a primary recruitment ground for task scam operators. The schemes are promoted aggressively through WhatsApp broadcast lists, Instagram, and TikTok, often sharing fabricated testimonials and payment screenshots from supposed Nigerian beneficiaries.
The promise of legitimate online work in an environment with high youth unemployment makes task scams highly effective. Victims often recruit friends and family before realising the scheme is fraudulent, multiplying losses within social networks.
How this scam works on Nigeria
Recruitment begins with a WhatsApp or Instagram message describing a straightforward way to earn NGN 5,000–15,000 per day by completing simple tasks on a platform. After signing up and completing a few unpaid trial tasks, victims are credited with a growing balance they cannot yet withdraw.
The first withdrawal attempt introduces a condition: the victim must maintain a minimum account balance by completing a 'recharge' — depositing money via bank transfer to continue. After the deposit, a new condition appears. This cycle repeats until the victim runs out of funds or recognises the pattern.
Some Nigerian operations are locally run but use international-sounding company names, creating the appearance of a foreign employer. Victims may face difficulty reporting because the operators are in the same country but difficult to trace.
Common red flags
- Job offer requiring no skills, minimal time, and promising unusually high daily earnings
- Platform balance grows but requires a bank transfer deposit to unlock withdrawal
- Escalating deposit demands with each failed withdrawal attempt
- Operator communicates only through WhatsApp with a personal mobile number
- Testimonials show Nigerians earning large sums with no verifiable company behind the platform
- No official company website, registered business address, or FIRS Tax ID
How to protect yourself
- Never pay a deposit to access wages you have supposedly already earned on a task platform
- Research the platform name with 'scam Nigeria' or 'review' before signing up
- Report task scam platforms to the EFCC at efcc.gov.ng before recruiting others
- Do not recruit friends and family until you have independently verified and received a real withdrawal
- Check if the company is registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) at search.cac.gov.ng
- Consult NCC's consumer helpline at 622 if you suspect telecom-based fraud components
How to report it
- Report to the EFCC via the online complaints portal at efcc.gov.ng or call the EFCC toll-free line
- Report to the Nigeria Police Force cybercrime division or the relevant state police command
- Alert the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) at nitda.gov.ng
Frequently asked questions
How do "app-rating" task scams typically start in Nigeria?
They often begin with a WhatsApp or Telegram message offering easy daily income for rating apps or reviewing products, with an initial small task paying out genuinely to build trust. Once you're engaged, the platform introduces "premium" tasks that require a recharge deposit before larger earnings can be withdrawn.
Where can I report a task scam in Nigeria?
Report it to the EFCC through its official reporting channels, and keep records of the app or platform name, payment receipts, and any promotional messages. This helps build a pattern of evidence even if individual recovery isn't possible.
I've paid several recharge deposits chasing a withdrawal — should I keep going?
No — stop immediately. The pattern of ever-increasing deposit demands before a promised withdrawal is a core feature of the scam, and the withdrawal will not happen no matter how much more you pay.
Are there legitimate online earning platforms in Nigeria?
Legitimate platforms include freelance marketplaces such as Upwork, Fiverr, and Toptal, as well as Nigerian platforms like Asuqu. These require skills and a verifiable identity, pay out directly to bank accounts without requiring deposits, and have publicly available company information. Any platform requiring deposits to unlock earnings is fraudulent.