Quick answer: In a review-task scam, a stranger offers easy money for rating places or completing simple online tasks, often moves the conversation to Telegram, may pay a small amount at first, then asks you to deposit money to unlock higher commissions or recover a balance. Never pay to receive wages, unlock tasks or withdraw supposed earnings.
How the trap usually works
- Unsolicited offer: A message promises flexible income for reviewing businesses, liking posts or completing simple tasks.
- Move to a private channel: The recruiter asks you to join Telegram or another messaging group.
- Small initial payout: A minor payment may be sent to create trust. It does not prove the offer is genuine.
- Deposit requirement: You are told to recharge an account, pay a refundable security amount or join a “prepaid task.”
- Escalation: The required deposit rises, a task is labelled incorrect, or withdrawal is blocked until another payment is made.
- Disappearance: The group, dashboard or contact vanishes when you stop paying.
Red flags to recognise
- You are asked to pay money to earn money.
- Returns are guaranteed for a trivial task.
- The recruiter uses urgency, threats or a “limited slot” story.
- Payment goes to an unrelated personal UPI ID or bank account.
- You must keep depositing to withdraw your displayed balance.
- The work asks you to post fake or misleading reviews.
- The recruiter requests OTPs, UPI PINs, screen sharing or remote-access apps.
What legitimate review work should look like
Genuine employers explain the business, payment terms and task requirements clearly. They do not require a deposit to release wages. Also, paying people to publish dishonest reviews can violate platform rules and mislead consumers; do not participate in fake-review activity even if a small payout is offered.
If you have already paid
- Stop transferring money. Do not pay a “recovery agent” who promises to get it back for an upfront fee.
- Contact your bank or payment provider immediately through the official app or number and ask them to register a fraud complaint and advise on available transaction-dispute steps.
- In India, call 1930 promptly for cyber financial fraud and submit details through the official National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal at cybercrime.gov.in.
- Preserve transaction IDs, UPI references, phone numbers, usernames, messages, URLs and screenshots.
- Change compromised passwords, revoke suspicious sessions and remove remote-access apps. Never share OTPs or UPI PINs.
- Report the account on the messaging platform and block it after preserving evidence.
Secure your accounts
Use unique passwords and two-factor authentication. Keep your phone and banking apps updated. Do not install an APK sent by a recruiter. A screen showing “earnings” is not proof that money exists in a withdrawable account.
FAQs
They paid me once. Does that prove it is safe?
No. A small initial payment can be a deliberate trust-building tactic.
Can I recover the money by paying a fee?
Do not pay an unknown person promising recovery. Use your bank and official reporting channels.
Should I delete the Telegram chat?
Preserve evidence first. Save relevant messages, payment references and account identifiers for the bank and investigators.
Official resources
Reviewed October 9, 2026. This is general safety information, not a guarantee that a transaction can be reversed. Report suspected fraud immediately.
