Australians are being warned about the rise of online 'side hustle' scams, with reported losses to Scamwatch for job and employment scams nearly tripling in 2023.

Jobs and employment scams were the fastest growing scam type in 2023, with over 4,800 job scams reported to Scamwatch, leading to losses of $24.7 million, compared to $8.7 million in 2022.

These scams disproportionately affect younger Australians aged 18-44 years old, including students looking for part-time work, and people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, including non-resident visa holders. Scammers are targeting people looking for online work in their spare time, promising them guaranteed income from jobs that include boosting the ratings of products and services through an online platform.

“Scammers are targeting people looking for online work in their spare time, promising them guaranteed income from jobs that include boosting the ratings of products and services through an online platform. In some cases, the jobs are as simple as liking posts on social media such as TikTok videos,” warned ACCC Deputy Chair Catriona Lowe.

Victims often report responding to an advertisement on social media about a job opportunity, after which the scammer contacts them directly via encrypted messaging apps such as WhatsApp. The scam operates similarly to an online game, with victims pressured to make an initial investment of their own money along with ongoing payments in order to 'level up' and receive a higher income, which they never receive.

“The scam operates similar to an online game, with victims reporting that they are pressured to make an initial investment of their own money along with ongoing payments in order to ‘level up’ and receive a higher income which they never receive,” Lowe added.

Scammers are pretending to be from well-known retailers and department stores, or posing as social media marketing agencies looking for people to boost posts by content producers.

“Scammers are trying to catch Australians out by pretending to be from well-known retailers and department stores, or in some cases posing as social media marketing agencies looking for people to boost posts by content producers,” Lowe said.

To avoid falling victim to a job scam, individuals are advised to never click on links in texts or encrypted messages, question if the message could be fake, and act quickly if something feels wrong. If scammed, individuals should contact their bank or financial institution immediately, report the scam to the platform (such as WhatsApp), and report scams to Scamwatch.

“As the cost of living continues to put pressure on households, many people are looking for opportunities to earn extra money, and scammers are taking advantage of this,” Lowe said.