Task Scams on LinkedIn
LinkedIn messages offer remote 'micro-task' or rating-review jobs that secretly require deposit payments, targeting professionals seeking flexible income.
Part of: Task Scams
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
Task scams have spread to LinkedIn, exploiting the platform's professional credibility to add legitimacy to fraudulent job offers. A professional receives an InMail or connection request from a company offering part-time work — reviewing products, optimising app store ratings, or completing data-entry tasks — framed as a flexible income supplement compatible with existing employment.
The professional context of LinkedIn leads many recipients to treat the approach with less scepticism than they would a cold email. By the time the deposit trap is revealed, the victim has already invested significant time building what felt like a legitimate gig relationship.
How this scam works on LinkedIn
After connecting and brief conversation, the victim is onboarded to a task platform. Initial tasks accumulate a small balance. When the victim attempts to withdraw, they are told a deposit is required to 'activate' the withdrawal function or to access higher-paying tasks. Each deposit triggers another barrier — a cycle that repeats until the victim realises the fraud.
LinkedIn's professional atmosphere means victims are sometimes more embarrassed to report or seek help, making this variant particularly effective.
Common red flags
- LinkedIn message offering flexible remote micro-task work with unusually high pay rates
- Task platform requires a deposit or top-up to access earnings or advance to better tasks
- All communication happens through the task platform app rather than the hiring company's own systems
- Withdrawal is perpetually delayed or blocked by new fee requirements
- Profile of the person who contacted you has minimal history or connections
How to protect yourself
- Research any task platform independently before signing up
- Legitimate employers do not require workers to make deposits before accessing wages
- Stop depositing immediately if withdrawal is blocked, regardless of earnings shown on screen
- Report the LinkedIn account to the platform as fraudulent
How to report it
- Report the LinkedIn profile via the 'Report this profile' option
- Report to Action Fraud, the FTC, or your national fraud authority
- If cryptocurrency was deposited, report to your national financial regulator
Frequently asked questions
The person who messaged me on LinkedIn has a detailed, professional-looking profile — does that make the offer legitimate?
Not necessarily — a convincing LinkedIn profile can be built up over time or even purchased, and it doesn't verify that the task-earning platform they're promoting is real. Judge the opportunity itself: any requirement to deposit money to access earnings is fraudulent regardless of how credible the contact appears.
I'm embarrassed I fell for this on a 'professional' platform — should that stop me reporting it?
No — please report it anyway. Task scams are specifically designed to exploit the trust people place in LinkedIn's professional environment, and reporting the account helps LinkedIn remove it before it reaches others; there's no shame in being targeted by a deliberately deceptive scheme.
Why do task scams target LinkedIn specifically?
LinkedIn's professional reputation makes outreach on the platform feel more credible than a cold email or text. Scammers exploit this to make the initial contact seem like a legitimate business opportunity, which increases engagement before the deposit trap is revealed.