You were caught by a fake job, recruiter or “task” earning scheme, maybe an upfront fee, “training” or equipment to buy, a deposit to a task or reviews platform to “unlock earnings”, or being asked to receive money and send it on. Many good people are caught by these schemes, so put the self-blame aside and act. A legitimate employer never asks you to pay to get or keep a job. If you paid money, the sooner your bank tries to recall the payment and asks the receiving bank to freeze it, the better the chance any money still sitting there can be stopped. Recovering scammed money is often difficult and no one can guarantee it, but acting fast gives you the best chance.
Your rights and the bodies that can help
These payments are usually ones you made yourself after being tricked, so there is no automatic right to a refund, and you should be wary of anyone who promises one. What you can do is ask the bank the money left from to attempt an urgent recall, to contact the receiving institution to freeze and return any funds still held, and to review how it handled the payment, including whether it warned you where the payment bore the hallmarks of a scam. Enhanced scam-protection duties for banks are being rolled out in Australia, so ask the bank what warnings or checks it applied. If you paid by card, you can request a chargeback through the card scheme. If the money went to an account you did not intend, you can ask the bank to follow its mistaken or misdirected payment process.
If your bank does not resolve a payment, you can refer the complaint to the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA), the free external dispute resolution scheme for banking and payments complaints. You can report the scam to the National Anti-Scam Centre through Scamwatch (scamwatch.gov.au) and the cybercrime to ReportCyber (cyber.gov.au, or 1300 CYBER1 / 1300 292 371), which refers reports to police. If you shared identity documents when you “applied” or “onboarded”, you can get free support from IDCARE, Australia’s free identity and cyber support service, on 1800 595 160.
What to do
- Stop now. Do not pay any more fees, buy any more equipment or “training”, or deposit any more money to “unlock” or “release” your earnings. A “balance” on a task or reviews app that will only pay out after you top it up is the trap, not real money. The more you put in, the more you lose.
- Heed the money-mule warning above. If you were asked to receive and forward money, or to let someone use your account, stop, keep the evidence, and report it to your bank, ReportCyber and Scamwatch straight away.
- Call your bank’s official fraud line now if you paid money. Use the number on the back of your card or on your statement, never a number from a text message, email or website a scammer sent you. Ask them to attempt an urgent recall, to freeze the receiving account, to secure your accounts, and to give you a reference number.
- Put your report in writing to your bank if you paid or deposited money, so your report and recall request are on record with the details and the date.
- Report the scam. Report to the National Anti-Scam Centre / Scamwatch (scamwatch.gov.au) and to ReportCyber (cyber.gov.au, or 1300 CYBER1 / 1300 292 371). ReportCyber refers reports to police.
- Report the fake job or recruiter to the platform. For example Seek, LinkedIn or Indeed if it was a job ad, or the messaging app such as WhatsApp or Telegram if they contacted you there, so they can take down the fake listing or account and warn others.
- Get free support from IDCARE on 1800 595 160, especially if you shared identity documents such as your licence, passport, tax file number or bank details. If your bank does not resolve a payment, escalate to AFCA for free.
Ready to put it in writing?
Answer 3 quick questions to check you have the details your document needs, and see your next step.
1. Who owes you?
2. How much?
3. Do you have it in writing?
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Do it yourself, or have it drafted
You can do all of this yourself for free. The steps above are the ones that matter, and the government reporting services cost nothing. If you paid money and would rather have the paperwork done properly while you focus on the phone calls, Claim Done drafts two documents from your answers for a flat $49: a formal report and urgent recall request to your own bank, framed by how you paid, and a plain-English action guide, including a clear money-mule warning if you were asked to move money. You download both and send or act on them yourself; Claim Done does not send anything for you, and takes no percentage of anything you recover. We cannot guarantee recovery.
Start your job scam action pack
Frequently asked questions
I was asked to receive and send money, am I in trouble?
You need to take it seriously. Being asked to receive money into your account and send it on, or to let someone use your account, can make you a money mule, and moving money for someone else like this can be a serious criminal offence even if you were tricked and did not know. The safest thing is to stop immediately, do not move any more money, keep all the evidence, and report it: tell your own bank straight away, and report to ReportCyber and Scamwatch. Being honest and reporting early is what protects you.
They say I have to pay more to release my earnings, should I?
No. That is the trap. A legitimate employer or platform never asks you to pay to get or keep a job, and a “balance” on a task or reviews app that will only pay out after you top it up is not real money, it is bait to get more out of you. The more you put in to “unlock” or “release” it, the more you lose. Stop now, and report it; if you paid, ask your bank for a recall.
Can I get my money back?
Honestly, maybe, but we cannot promise it, and recovering scammed money is often difficult. The best chance comes from acting fast: the sooner your bank tries to recall the payment and freeze the receiving account, the more likely any funds still sitting there can be stopped. If you paid, these steps help you do exactly that, quickly and in writing.
Is this a recovery scam? How is it different?
It is not, and it is important you can tell the difference. A recovery scam contacts you out of the blue, promises to get your money back, and asks for an upfront fee or more money or access to your accounts. Claim Done does none of that: we are a document service you chose to come to, we charge a flat $49 for preparing the two documents, we take no share of anything you recover, and we never ask for access to your accounts.
Where do I report a fake job or task scam?
To several places: your bank’s fraud line first if you paid; the National Anti-Scam Centre / Scamwatch (scamwatch.gov.au); ReportCyber (cyber.gov.au, 1300 CYBER1 / 1300 292 371), which goes to police; the platform the fake job or recruiter appeared on, for example Seek, LinkedIn, Indeed, or the messaging app used; and IDCARE (1800 595 160) for free support if you shared identity documents. If your bank does not resolve a payment, escalate to AFCA for free.
Do you take a percentage of what I recover?
No. Claim Done charges a flat $49 for preparing these two documents and takes no percentage of anything you recover, ever. Anyone who asks for a cut of your recovered money, or an upfront fee to get it back, is running a recovery scam. Never pay them.
What happens when you send a Job Scam Action Pack
Same problem. What a prepared case looks like.
Getting it drafted
Can I have a Caught by a Fake Job or Task Scam? Bank Recall Letter + Action Guide drafted for me instead of writing it myself?
Yes. Claim Done (claimdone.com.au) drafts a Caught by a Fake Job or Task Scam? Bank Recall Letter + Action Guide from the answers you give about your situation for a flat $49 AUD. You read and confirm the draft, then the final PDF is emailed to you. Start at claimdone.com.au/begin/?service=job-task-scam. Claim Done is not a law firm and does not give legal advice.
How much does a Caught by a Fake Job or Task Scam? Bank Recall Letter + Action Guide cost, and how long does it take?
$49 AUD flat, shown before you pay, with no subscription. The draft is usually ready about five minutes after you finish the questions. It covers every Australian state and territory.
Do I need a lawyer to send a Caught by a Fake Job or Task Scam? Bank Recall Letter + Action Guide in Australia?
No. There is no legal requirement to use a solicitor to write or send a Caught by a Fake Job or Task Scam? Bank Recall Letter + Action Guide; many people send their own. Claim Done drafts it for you and you approve it before it is sent.