Job and task scam | CC Recovery Ltd

How the scam works

Task scams offer easy remote work, usually through a messaging app. Small early payouts build trust, then tasks require you to top up an account with your own money, often in cryptocurrency, before you can withdraw your "earnings".

1
An unexpected offer

A recruiter messages you on WhatsApp, Telegram or social media with flexible remote work: rating products, boosting apps or reviewing hotels.
2
Small early rewards

You complete simple tasks on a website and are paid small amounts, which builds trust. You are added to a group chat of other “workers”.
3
Top up to continue

“Premium” or “combination” tasks put your account into a negative balance that you must top up, often in cryptocurrency, to keep going.
4
Earnings locked

Every top-up unlocks a bigger one. When you try to withdraw, you are told to pay again. The earnings never arrive.

An example of how it happens

A student was offered part-time work rating products online. After earning £40 in the first week, she was told to deposit money to unlock higher-paying tasks. Over ten days she sent £4,800 through a crypto exchange.

Illustrative example based on common cases, not a real client.

Warning signs

A job offer you did not apply for, sent by message
Pay for simple online tasks such as liking, rating or reviewing
Needing to deposit money to unlock tasks or withdrawals
Being added to group chats of other "workers" celebrating payouts
Payments to crypto wallets or personal accounts

How to protect yourself

Genuine employers don’t ask you to pay to work
Be suspicious of job offers you didn’t apply for
Never buy crypto because an employer told you to
Search the company name with words like “scam” or “review”

Can you get your money back?

Often, yes. It depends mainly on how you paid. These are the routes that usually apply to this type of scam.

Bank transfer (Faster Payments or CHAPS)

Since 7 October 2024, UK banks must reimburse most victims of authorised push payment fraud, up to £85,000 per claim, if it is reported within 13 months. Earlier payments may fall under the voluntary CRM Code or the bank’s duty of care.
How the money-back rules work
Crypto bought and sent on

Transfers out of a crypto exchange are rarely reversible, and payments to an account in your own name aren’t covered by the reimbursement rules. You may still be able to complain that your bank should have spotted and stopped the payments.

A general guide to UK rules. Every case depends on its facts, and nobody can guarantee an outcome. Check your bank.

If it has just happened

Speed matters. These steps protect you and give your bank the best chance to act.

Call your bank first, using the number on your card or its official website. Do not use numbers given to you by the caller or in a message.

A woman on the phone to her bank, holding her card and looking at her laptop.

Contact your bank now
Call the number on the back of your card or on your bank's official website. Tell them it is fraud. The sooner they know, the better the chance of stopping or tracing payments.
Stop further payments
Do not send any more money, even if you are promised a refund, a release fee or a withdrawal. Stop contact with the scammer.
Secure your accounts
Change passwords for your email and banking, remove any remote-access apps, and turn on two-step verification.
Report it
Report the crime to the police or your national fraud reporting service and keep the reference number.
Keep the evidence
Save messages, emails, screenshots, website addresses, wallet addresses and statements showing every payment.

A case handler wearing a headset, listening to a caller and taking notes.

How we can help

We build the case, you follow every step

We review what happened for free, help you gather the evidence, and pursue a complaint with your bank, escalating to the ombudsman if needed. You can also claim for free yourself.

Start your case See our process

Questions about this type of scam

I was paid a little at first. Does that affect my claim?

No. Early payouts are part of the scam. We look at the total you lost and how the payments were made.

I paid through several crypto exchanges. Can you still help?

Possibly. We look at every payment from your bank, including those to exchanges, and whether your bank should have intervened.

Someone in the group chat said they got paid. Were they real?

Usually these members are part of the scam, posting fake payout screenshots to build trust.

Can you guarantee I will get my money back?

No. Nobody can honestly guarantee a recovery. Outcomes depend on how the payments were made, what your bank did, the rules that apply and the evidence available. Be wary of anyone who promises a guaranteed result.

Do I have to use a company to make a claim?

No. You can complain to your bank yourself for free and, if needed, escalate to the ombudsman yourself. Our Claim it yourself guide explains how. Some people prefer help with the evidence and the process, and that is what we offer.

What does it cost?

Our fees are set out in full on the Our fees page before you sign anything. You will never be asked to pay a "release fee", a "tax" or anything in cryptocurrency to receive recovered money.

How long does it take?

It varies. Banks usually respond to a complaint within a few weeks. If a case goes to the ombudsman, it can take several months. Your portal shows each step as it happens.

All questions