In a nation grappling with rising unemployment and widespread underemployment, a devious wave of task-based online job scams has ensnared countless Nigerians. Promising easy money for seemingly simple digital tasks, these schemes have lured victims into losing millions of naira, leaving a trail of shattered finances and dashed hopes, writes VICTOR AYENIA famous quote says, “Shock is the moment pain arrives before the mind has learned how to name it.” It was a feeling Kolawole Ariba (not his real name) knew too well on February 21, 2025.A month earlier, the father of two had received a WhatsApp message from an unfamiliar international number.In the message, the sender invited Ariba to a remote job offer in which he would be paid daily for completing simple tasks, ranging from subscribing to YouTube pages to reviewing products for a popular marketing brand.

At first glance, it seemed like just another unsolicited text in an age where strangers routinely appear on phone screens. On second thought, however, the 33-year-old decided to give it a try.“From WhatsApp, the conversation moved to Telegram, and her name was Alade Juliet. She assured me that she worked with a popular marketing brand where people order goods online and that they also pay people to work remotely.“She sent me a YouTube page and instructed me to subscribe to it and send her a screenshot as proof. When I did this, I provided my account details and was credited with N3,000. She then told me she would communicate with me on another task the next day,” Ariba told Sunday PUNCH.In a country where many citizens struggle with limited job opportunities, remote work offers flexibility, global exposure, and, in many cases, better pay. This was the allure the scheme held for Ariba.“A few days later, she introduced me to a higher-paying scheme where I would earn salaries, but said I had to invest ‘welfare funds,’ which would determine my salary. She sent me screenshots of the beneficiaries they had paid. At first, I had my doubts, but they had paid me for each task before, so I was willing to go along with it.“She asked me to pay N25,000 within 10 minutes to activate the scheme, after which she would add me to the portal. I sent her the money, and she added me to an online portal where I reviewed products believed to be sold by the brand she claimed to work for. In short, I sent her more money, and on February 21, she blocked me on both WhatsApp and Telegram,” he recounted.Screenshots of transactions forwarded to presshub correspondent showed that Ariba paid a total of N600,000 to an account bearing the name Felix Mbaneto between January 19 and February 10, 2025.With a tone of regret, he said, “The money I should have spent on my family, I spent on this scam, even when my mind kept telling me I was going to be duped. I failed to listen. It was so embarrassing because I was supposed to know better. Even now, I still can’t tell people what happened because I feel so ashamed.”

What Ariba did not know at the time was that task-based job scams have grown into a sophisticated and widespread fraud trend in Nigeria, often preying on innocent job seekers with promises of easy, flexible, work-from-home income.These schemes typically require victims to carry out simple, repetitive tasks, such as liking YouTube videos, following Instagram accounts, or “optimising” products for brands such as TikTok, Amazon, or Alibaba, in exchange for daily payments.Victims are usually paid small sums at the beginning to build trust, before being pressured to invest larger amounts to unlock higher earnings.Checks by one of our correspondent revealed that many Nigerians have lost significant sums to such scams, with some victims reportedly losing up to N1m in personal savings.On November 18, 2025, an X user, Agu Nwanyi.Tigress (@Thickerbody_08), disclosed that she was defrauded of N3.1m through a fake task platform posing as a partner of a well-known online marketplace.“Most of the money was borrowed, and the shame has made me isolate myself from family and friends. I’ve reported to the police, submitted my statement, and I’m working tirelessly with the bank to trace the funds.“I am also trying to raise N400,000 for a private tracker. I’m doing everything I can to fix this. Please, if you can support me with anything, no amount is too small,” she wrote.Last week, another X user, Tobi the Cleaner Girl (@ThecleanerGirl), alleged that Agu Nwanyi had taken a N2m loan from her, which was reportedly invested in the task-based job scheme.When the correspondent contacted Agu Nwanyi via WhatsApp for further details, she initially agreed to speak but later declined and blocked this reporter.However, addressing the issue on Thursday, Agu Nwanyi wrote, “I’d like to sincerely apologise for the situation regarding the money that was recently brought to public attention by The CleanerGirl.“I want to confirm that the money has been fully settled and paid. I was able to do this with the help of a kind person who prefers to remain anonymous, and I’m truly grateful for her support in helping me out of a difficult situation.”She also expressed appreciation to friends and supporters, noting that the matter had been resolved.

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