You receive a message offering a work-from-home job reviewing products on Amazon or similar platforms. The pay sounds reasonable. The hours are flexible. It's easy. And it's a scam that cost victims an estimated $2.7 billion in 2023 (FTC).

How the Product Reviewer Scam Works

  1. Recruitment: Contact comes via text, WhatsApp, or social media from a recruiter for a "legitimate company."
  2. Onboarding: You're added to a messaging group and assigned a "supervisor." First tasks are simple and pay as promised — building trust.
  3. The Catch: Tasks require you to first buy product credits or "boost" listings by depositing money. You'll be "reimbursed plus commission" when the task is complete.
  4. Escalation: Tasks grow, deposits grow. The platform shows your balance growing impressively.
  5. The Block: When you try to withdraw, you're told you need to complete more tasks or pay a fee. Eventually, contact disappears.

Red Flags

  • Job offer arrives via unsolicited text or social media message.
  • Job requires you to spend your own money first — for any reason.
  • Employer requests you communicate through WhatsApp or Telegram rather than official channels.
  • Vague company name that's hard to verify.
  • Pay is unusually high for simple clicking tasks.

The Rule: Legitimate Employers Pay You — They Don't Collect Money From You

No legitimate job requires you to deposit money, buy credits, or pay any fee to complete tasks or receive payment. This is the defining characteristic of job scams — and it applies to 100% of these "reviewer" or "task completion" opportunities.

Sources: FTC; BBB Scam Tracker; Global Anti-Scam Organization.