WhatsApp Job Scams in Malta
Fake online job offers circulate in Malta via WhatsApp and Telegram, targeting the island's service-sector workers and migrant population with task-scam deposit traps.
Part of: WhatsApp Job Scams
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
Malta's diverse working population — which includes large numbers of third-country national workers in hospitality, care, and construction — is targeted by fake job offers on WhatsApp and Telegram. These range from promises of better-paying work through informal brokers (which can lead to labour exploitation) to outright task scams offering online income that trap victims in deposit cycles.
The English-speaking environment of Malta makes direct targeting by international fraud operations straightforward, and the island's active expatriate WhatsApp groups provide additional channels for fraudulent job offers to circulate.
How this scam works on Malta
An unsolicited WhatsApp message offers part-time online income for simple tasks. Initial small payments establish credibility. Task sets that require deposits follow. Withdrawals are perpetually blocked. Some versions target Malta's iGaming workers directly, offering 'VIP' investment or secondary income opportunities through platforms that are actually pig-butchering or task-scam operations.
Labour exploitation variants promise higher-paying hospitality or care roles in Malta for overseas workers but charge upfront recruitment or visa-processing fees that legitimate Maltese employers would not request.
Common red flags
- An unsolicited WhatsApp offer of easy online income arrives from an unknown contact.
- Deposits are required to access better-paying tasks.
- Labour offers require upfront recruitment fees for Maltese positions.
- The employing company cannot be verified on the Malta Business Registry.
How to protect yourself
- Ignore unsolicited job messages from unknown contacts on all messaging platforms.
- Verify any employer on the Malta Business Registry at registry.mbr.mt.
- Never pay deposits for work or upfront recruitment fees for Maltese positions.
- Report suspicious messages to Malta Police and JobsPlus (Malta's employment agency).
How to report it
- Report to Malta Police Force cybercrime unit.
- Report suspicious recruitment to JobsPlus Malta.
- Use WhatsApp's built-in report function on the sending contact.
Frequently asked questions
Do legitimate Maltese employers charge recruitment fees?
No. Legitimate employers and licensed employment agencies in Malta do not charge workers upfront fees for placement. Any recruiter requesting advance payment is acting outside legal norms.