Hello, my beloved readers and welcome to my first of many stories about the scams that are out there. Today’s blog post is quite different from my usual content, but I believe it’s essential to share my recent experience with you.

As someone who is constantly on the lookout for lucrative opportunities online and always on the lookout for new opportunities to grow and challenge myself, I stumbled into a trap that cost me a few thousand dollars. Yeah, I know what you’re thinking, but it is what it is.

That’s enough to buy a decent car, a trip around the world, or a lifetime supply of dino nuggies. Who doesn’t love dino nuggies?

But instead of enjoying any of those things, I’m now stuck with a huge hole in my bank account and a lot of anger and frustration.

I wanted to take this experience and share my story to help you avoid falling into similar situations.

As you might already know, I currently run a blog called The Side Hustle University, the place to come for a comprehensive guide on innovative ways to make money online! With the constantly changing digital landscape of the world today, everyone and their grandma has turned to the digital realm for new opportunities to boost their income from the comfort of their very own home. Whether you’re a stay-at-home parent, a student looking to earn some extra cash, or simply someone who wants to explore new financial avenues, you’re in the right place.

Believe me, you’re not alone in facing financial concerns—I’ve been there too. The anxiety of wondering if there would be enough money to cover rent or just struggling to put a decent meal on the table for my kids was incredibly disheartening. I couldn’t bear it any longer, and I decided to find solutions to boost my income. Believe me when I say that I understand the challenges you’re facing, and I’m here to guide you toward viable ways of making more money.

That is precisely why I started the blog at The Side Hustle University. My blog is designed to provide insights into diverse online money-making methods, ensuring you’re equipped with the knowledge and strategies needed to thrive in this exciting virtual landscape. From freelancing and remote work to e-commerce ventures and digital investments, I  delve into actionable techniques that can help you turn your online endeavors into a lucrative reality.

The Clickbait

How did this happen, you may ask? Well, let me tell you the story. As I already mentioned I run this blog site where I share some potential side hustles for those looking for new and exciting ways to earn some money. I love what I do, helping people is something that I find therapeutic.

So when I saw an online job posting for an online assistant position, I thought it was a great opportunity to earn some extra cash and boost my resume and “street credit” among many of you who read my work.

The job description sounded perfect for me; set your own hours, work from home, competitive pay, and a friendly work environment. It sounded too good to be true, but I was desperate and hopeful, so I decided to apply.

I contacted the person through the ad I found on Facebook and followed their instructions. I was instantly given someone to contact to begin working.

I was a bit suspicious and skeptical at first, and to be honest I let my greed get the best of me.

The Work Involved

So for this particular job, the work was pretty simple. All I had to do was subscribe to some YouTube channels and then send a screenshot of being a subscriber. I was paid anywhere from $2 to $10. I thought, ok easy enough. And the thing is, I was paid in the beginning, so I thought alright I may be on to something here.

Then, eventually, because I was considered a good worker, I was placed into this group work thing. This is where it went downhill. So I had to transfer money to them, in crypto, and then all the money from the group gets pooled together, and then you are given a profit from the group. So for example, I sent about $150 worth of USDT to them. And in return, I was given $100 USDT back on top of the initial $150. Like I said in the beginning I was paid. I actually made money from it. Roughly $600 if we want to split hairs here.

And then my greed kicked in. I started sending them more money. I guess this is how they hook people. So I decided to go for a bigger amount which was $300 USDT. I sent my money and then never got anything back.

At this point, I realized that something was very wrong. I tried contacting them through the information given to me but got no response. I tried to call the phone number but of course, it wasn’t in service.

This is when I realized that I had been scammed.

I felt like an idiot. How could I fall for such an obvious scam? How could I be so naive and gullible? How could I waste so much time and money on something that was never real?

I felt angry and betrayed. Who was this person who scammed me? Why did they do this to me? Did he do this to other people too? I felt helpless and hopeless. How could I recover from this loss? How could I pay my bills and debts? How could I trust anyone online ever again?

I felt like giving up on everything. But then I remembered something. Something that helped me get through this difficult time.

I remembered about all of you. My readers who I use as inspiration and motivation to do what I do. Who have supported me and encouraged me throughout my blogging journey. You have shown me kindness and appreciation for my work. You have made me feel like I have something valuable to offer to the world.

My thought process was simple: tell this story so that it doesn’t happen to any of you.

The Scam Exposed

As I mentioned, I was being paid in the beginning. But once I started to increase the amounts I would send them, the wheels fell off. They started telling me things like, ok great we got your money, but we need more for a processing fee. So I would send them more. Then it would be, you qualified for a bonus and we need more money. Again, I sent them more. Then after all that, when they told me I would receive a payout of a few thousand dollars, they told me I had to pay taxes before I received payment. So, I had to send them money for taxes. Once I did, they went GHOST on me.

I know what you must be thinking. How dumb are you to fall for something like this? And to be honest, even as I am writing this, I cannot believe I did fall for it. But I did. I own it, it sucks, but I have to move on. I refuse to let these scumbags get the best of me and what I have tried so hard to build for myself and my kids.

The scam worked like this:

1. You send them an amount of USDT
2. They pool the money together with everyone else whom they have suckered into the scam
3. Then they will tell you things like, OK there is another assignment for you to work on, which requires you to send them more money in order to get back the money you already sent them
4. You send them more money.
5. Repeat steps 2 to 4 however many times they tell you to
6. Then they will tell you that you have to pay taxes on the money you have accrued, so you have to send them more money again
7. Once the “taxes” are paid, they block you and you will never hear from them again.

This is how the scam worked, at least in this particular case.

There is also another scam which I did not fall victim to. Instead, taking lessons I learned from what happened to me, I figured it out and did not get involved with them. This is a scam that seems to have been around for a while. It involves being sent a check to deposit into your bank account and then buying office equipment to work for them.

Right off the bat, I thought to myself why would a company send me money to buy equipment when they should just be sending the equipment in the first place? And the “hiring manager” kept saying that the equipment was to be purchased through a 3rd party vendor. Makes no sense.

I went along with it to see how far they were willing to go and I had them send the check.

I contacted the bank that issued the check and they did explain to me how and why this check was fraudulent. I will discuss this more later in this post.

You Know Who You Are, and I Don’t Care To Show The World

This blog post is not only a way for me to vent my frustration and anger but also a way for me to warn you and educate you about these online scams that are becoming more common and sophisticated every day.

If by any chance the scammers come across this blog I want you to know a few things.

1. F$#% YOU!!!!! You low-life scum. I hope the other side of your pillow is never cool.
2. Go and apologize to the trees in your neighborhood. You have unfortunately wasted the valuable oxygen they have been producing.
3. You are the lowest of the low. Preying on innocent people, hardworking people, young and old. Shame on you, taking their savings and putting them into so much more difficult times because of YOUR selfishness, cowardice, and laziness. I hope scientists find a way to bring dinosaurs back to life again and I hope that a giant T-rex does unspeakable things to you.

The scam that I got swindled from involved me going to Telegram to contact the “hiring manager”. Again, I know that I should have known better to think that a company would hire through Telegram, but I didn’t think properly. I got excited over the thought of an opportunity and my greed got the best of me.

I would love to give out their contact information to everyone, but out of fear for their safety, I will not. What I will do is provide the job postings that they seem to be using currently.

These are just 2 of the ads that these scumbags use and believe me there are dozens if not hundreds more. Same ad, different posters is the comment I normally leave on these posts. These scammers prey on people who are desperate and vulnerable, who are looking for opportunities and solutions, and who are willing to take risks and chances.

They use fake websites or even real company names and websites, emails, phone numbers, names, logos, etc., to make themselves look legitimate and trustworthy. They use psychological tricks, such as urgency, scarcity, authority, reciprocity, and so on to make you feel pressured and obligated to act fast and pay up.

Tips To Avoid Falling Victim

In a moment of desperation, I found what seemed like a dream job posting online as it promised a substantial salary, flexible hours, and the opportunity to work from home. Who wouldn’t be intrigued? But anything that sounds too good to be true usually turns out that way. I should have known better, but I refuse to let this bring me down. I have worked far too hard to be where I am mentally and I will not let them win, I will not let them beat me.

Staying true to who I am, I take this situation as a way to learn and grow. And I want to help others with this knowledge.

Here are some tips that I learned from my experience and from doing some research on how to avoid and prevent these online scams:

• Before applying for any job online, do a background check on the company and the person who is hiring you. Look through their website, social media accounts, reviews, ratings, and so on. If they don’t have any or if they look sketchy or outdated, be wary. If they have any, but they don’t match the information they gave you, be suspicious.
• Don’t be afraid to ask for more details and clarifications about the job offer, the payment process, and the contract terms. They should be able to answer your questions clearly and confidently.
• Always trust your gut. If something feels off or wrong about the job offer or the person who is hiring you, listen to your intuition and walk away. Don’t let them persuade you or pressure you into doing something that you are not comfortable with or that you don’t understand fully.
• Protect your personal and financial information. This goes without saying. Never give out your personal details, such as your name, address, phone number, email address, social security number, etc., unless you are sure that the person who is asking for them is trustworthy and has a valid reason to do so. I even applied to one posting using the name on the post itself.
• Never pay any fees upfront for any job application or interview process. Legit employers will never ask you to do that. How does it make any sense to have to pay someone to work for them?
• Always report and expose the scammers. If you encounter or fall victim to any online scam, don’t be ashamed. I clearly am not ashamed. Contact the authorities and file a complaint. Contact the online platforms and report the scammer’s account. Contact the media and share your story. Contact your friends and family and warn them about the scam. The more people know about these scams and how to avoid them, the less chances these scammers have to succeed. F*&# them, do not feel bad for them!
• Use reputable job search websites that vet employers to reduce the risk of scams. Although sites like Indeed and LinkedIn do contain these scum bag scammers, it is easy to spot them once you know what to look for.

Facebook and other social media platforms are filled with such scams. On one hand, you cannot blame the platforms because these scumbags do pay for their ads, and after all, everyone is out to make money at the end of the day. It’s ad revenue for them, right?

Just note that no real company will conduct interviews through texting apps like Telegram, WhatsApp, or Facebook Messenger. I have even had some “interviews” over Microsoft Teams that involved only texting back and forth and no video calls. The way I see it, if they aren’t willing to put their face on camera, it isn’t worth your time.

Also, be on the lookout for their email addresses. If they are using emails like @gmail.com or @yahoo.com, it’s probably a fake job so don’t even bother with them.

For the opportunity that sent me that check. When I contacted the bank they explained to me a few things:

1. The check would have never cleared. And I would have eventually been contacted by their fraud department and I would have been liable for all costs involved with their investigation.
2. Near the bottom of the check, it says “Outstanding debt to Avon”. Meaning this money isn’t theirs to be giving away in the first place.
3. They pointed out a few things about the check that were not normal.
4. Also pointed out that having someone send a scanned check through email renders the check void and unusable anyway.

Here are some snippets of what the bank had to say:

So, following my own advice, I reported them and will let the authorities handle what needs to be handled.

Another example of reporting these scammers is this:

I just wanted to point this out to show you that I am not just giving out random advice that I do not follow myself. And also, it is possible to report them and have something get done about it.

Conclusions – The TL;DR Version

You can’t imagine the frustration and anger I felt after realizing what happened. It’s not just the money involved; it’s the emotional toll and the embarrassment of being conned. Desperation can cloud judgment, and scammers know how to exploit this vulnerability.

After all, they say, “Experience is simply the name we give our mistakes.”

I hope my story serves as a reminder that even savvy individuals can fall victim to scams when desperation takes over. Stay vigilant, do your due diligence, and don’t let desperation cloud your judgment.

Have you ever had a similar experience? Share your thoughts and stories in the comments below. Let’s learn from each other’s experiences and stay safe out there!

I hope this blog post has given you some useful insights on another side hustle idea that may work for you. Tell me what you think. I want to hear your thoughts, opinions, and experiences. Don’t be shy—share your insights by leaving a comment below and let’s ignite the spark of inspiration together!

Finally, if you haven’t already done so, please check out my website, The Side Hustle University, where you can learn to unleash your potential and unlock your financial freedom with my comprehensive website designed for individuals looking to begin a rewarding side hustle journey. Whether you’re craving that extra cash, or looking to launch a thriving business, The Side Hustle University has you covered! Explore several captivating articles, insightful blog posts, illuminating reviews, and innovative ideas, meticulously curated to liberate you from the rat race we all despise. Don’t miss out! Visit The Side Hustle University today and take a bold step towards a brighter, more prosperous future.

To your success,

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this blog post are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of any company, organization, or employer. The author has not received any compensation for writing this post, however, there may be some affiliate links throughout the piece. Individual results may vary based on effort and other factors. Any action you take based on the information presented in this post is strictly at your own risk. The author assumes no liability or responsibility for any errors or omissions in the content of this post.