In our daily lives, we navigate between screens, profiles, and messages, and this convenience brings with it a growing risk: scams disguised within our own social networks. In recent weeks, the Civil Guard has focused on a very specific type of scam, the so-called "like" scam, which is circulating widely on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and especially Telegram. What begins as an innocent proposal to make easy money by giving likes or follow Instagram profiles It ends up being a scam in which the victim hands over their money and, sometimes, their personal information..
Spanish authorities have issued warnings and explanatory videos detailing the modus operandi. Initially, the criminals may even pay small amounts to gain the victim's trust, but they soon pressure them into investing, making transfers via Bizum, or participating in purported task platforms with exaggerated promises of income. When it's time to withdraw the money or receive the big reward, they cut off contact and disappear.leaving users in its wake with financial losses, legal problems, and a good scare.
What is the "like" scam and why is it booming?
This model is presented as a simple "job offer": liking, following accounts, or reacting to posts in exchange for compensation. The National Police and the Civil Guard agree that the real objective is not to pay for tasks, but to obtain money and data through a phased strategy of building trust.Criminals take advantage of the high visibility of networks like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok and, very often, channel the conversation to Telegram, where it is easier for them to disappear without a trace.
The initial hook includes eye-catching amounts to generate interest, such as between 50 and 600 euros per day, or figures that vary and may seem very attractive to students, unemployed people, or anyone looking for extra income from home. Sometimes, the first payments arrive via Bitcoin, Bizum, or even PayPal, precisely to appear legitimate and make the story "add up."It's the first step in a calculated emotional manipulation: they make you believe it works, so that you'll then be encouraged to put in your own money.
How scammers operate: phases and tactics
The pattern is repeated with slight variations, but it maintains the same backbone. It starts with an unexpected message and evolves into a demand for investment with promises of commissions and higher profits.These are the most common phases described by the authorities and specialized organizations:
- The hook by courierCold contact via WhatsApp, Instagram or Telegram with an easy offer: 'we pay you to give likes'. They present themselves as staff from an agency, HR department, or collaborator of a major brand., often impersonating real identities or using generic names.
- The trial with a small paymentThey propose a simple task (follow a profile or like it) and ask for a screenshot as confirmation. After that, they make a small real payment —for example, via Bizum— to reinforce your trust.
- Move to TelegramThey claim that's where the 'team' or 'office' that manages tasks and payments is located. They use internal codes, a hypothetical accounting system, or a working channel with other profiles that boast of profits. to reinforce the illusion of legitimacy.
- The investment to level upThey promise you'll earn much more if you 'invest' to unlock VIP tasks or help other colleagues. Here's the trick: they ask for transfers —frequent via Bizum— with the promise of returning your money plus a commission.
- The illusion of profitsOn a website or panel of the network itself, they show balances that magically grow with each task. Those numbers don't exist: they are simulations designed to push you to pay "one last commission" or contribute more funds.
- The blockade and the escapeWhen you request to withdraw money, technical excuses appear, such as alleged unlocking fees or verification errors. After you make one last payment, they block you and disappear..
In some cases, in addition to likes and follows, they demand additional actions such as purchases or 'special tasks' that require prior payments. They also use pressure tactics (urgency, limited places, temporary rewards) to make you decide quickly and without checking anything..
Channels, origins and payment methods: where and how they move
The actors behind these scams operate on multiple platforms: WhatsApp and Telegram are the most cited, but they also take advantage of Instagram and TikTok direct messages. The calls or messages may originate from numbers in the United Kingdom, Libya, Guatemala, Bangladesh, Togo, or even prepaid lines registered in Spain.which contributes to misleading.
For the first transfers or “rewards” they use Bizum, PayPal or cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin. When they're looking to attract your investment, the preferred method is usually Bizum because of its immediacy.However, they may try to direct you to dubious payment gateways or websites that pretend to be digital employment platforms.
Warning signs that reveal fraud
There are clear signs that help detect this trap in time. Authorities remind users that no reputable company pays large sums simply for liking or following profiles.and certainly does not demand payment for work:
- Promises of high earnings for ridiculous tasks like €50–€600 a day or more just for liking or following accounts.
- Requirement to invest your own money to earn more, access VIP levels or unlock held payments.
- Operates exclusively via courier, without corporate emails, contracts, or verifiable company data.
- Generic names and impersonations from real brands or marketing agencies without independent testing or verification.
- Spelling mistakes and clumsy writing in messages, a classic of automated or translated frauds.
- Urgency and pressure so you can decide without thinking: 'there are few places left', 'the offer expires today'.
An additional recurring tactic is the insistence on moving the conversation to Telegram and the use of channels with alleged testimonials of people earning money. These profiles are usually fake or part of the same organization, designed to reinforce the illusion of security..
The figures they promise and the economic blow
Offers of between 50 and 600 euros per day for trivial tasks have been documented, and it is not uncommon to be promised a reward of 600–700 euros for advancing 500 euros via Bizum. It's a calculated lure to make you "take a little risk" and feel like you're going to multiply it in minutes.There are victims who have lost thousands of euros — even cases exceeding 18.000 —, convinced that they were going to withdraw their 'accumulated' balance immediately.
When the victim wants to recover their investment, unexpected fees, platform 'failures' or absurd verification requirements appear. This loop of excuses serves to squeeze out more money and prolong the deception before disappearing.
Additional risks: personal data and legal liability
Beyond money, the danger extends to your identity and your financial reputation. Scammers may request personal and banking information under the guise of formalizing 'employment' or facilitating payments, and using them to open accounts in your name or carry out other malicious activities.
There is also a potential legal risk: if you receive and forward money from other victims without reporting it, you could be implicated as an accomplice in a scam. This point is emphasized by specialists and law enforcement agencies, urging you to stop any involvement as soon as possible and report it..
Fraudulent platforms and websites: examples and patterns
The scam relies on ephemeral domains with a professional appearance. It is common to see websites with .vip, .app or .work endings and generic names that suggest easy and digital workExamples detected in fraudulent groups and channels include TaskEarn.vip, Job4U.app, ClickProfit.work, and LikeMaster.vip. Their cycle is always the same: they operate, attract victims, and when they accumulate complaints, they change their name or disappear.
These sites simulate panels with 'balances' and 'tasks' that grow as you interact —as happens with the popularity on Instagram—. None of that is real: the numbers are there to exert psychological pressure, a variable reward effect that pushes you to "take the final step"..
The psychology of deception: why so many people fall for it
The success of the "like" scam is explained by a sophisticated use of manipulation. It combines real down payments, a sense of progress, and artificial urgency.As in video games or on social media, the mind gets used to small rewards that encourage continued participation.
Furthermore, they target people seeking quick income or work from home, a broad audience in times of precariousness. The narrative of 'simple tasks' fits with realistic expectations, and that fit is what makes it so convincing at first..
Official warnings and key points from the security forces
The Civil Guard has released videos and publications on its official channels warning about this scam and urging caution when faced with any offer of easy money. They emphasize that if you have already clicked on links or interacted with them, you should monitor your bank accounts, change your passwords, and report any suspicious activity.They also recommend paying attention to details such as spelling mistakes in the messages, which are very common in this type of fraud.
The National Police, for their part, remind everyone that these offers are sold as attractive and easy jobs, but their only objective is to steal your money and your data. They insist that reputable companies do not formalize jobs or demand payments through messaging apps. and that you should be wary of alleged responsible parties who cannot be verified.
What to do if you receive a suspicious message
The key is to be wary of any stranger who promises you immediate money for trivial tasks. The best reaction to the first message is to ignore, block, and report it.If you have still interacted, it's best to act quickly:
- Report on WhatsApp to the contact who offered you the fake job, using the app's reporting options.
- Report on Telegram to the user or channel from which you received instructions and block the contact.
- Contact your bank immediately if you provided data or made payments to try to block transactions and recover funds.
- Collect evidence: conversations, screenshots, payment receipts, profiles or numbers used.
- File a complaint before the National Police, Civil Guard, Mossos d'Esquadra or Ertzaintza, as appropriate.
- Check your online footprint Use advanced searches (Google Dorks) to see if the scammer published your data; exercise your right to be forgotten with the search engine or website and, if appropriate, contact the Spanish Data Protection Agency.
In addition to the above, activate the two step verification From your accounts, check open sessions and close unknown access. Updating critical passwords—email, banking, social media—is a priority if you've clicked on suspicious links or downloaded suspicious files..
Variations and escalations of the scam
It doesn't always stop at likes or follows. There are cases where, after the initial tasks, they ask for trial 'purchases' or supposedly refundable transfers in order to access better commissions. The narrative varies, but the ending is identical: you advance money, and they make it disappear.It is also common that after paying you for one or two minimal tasks, they propose moving you to 'higher' groups with a supposed accountant who centralizes payments and tasks.
In these groups, profiles appear that boast of earning 1.000 euros a day and attach screenshots of 'payments received'. These pieces of evidence are usually manipulated or belong to other victims, and their purpose is to push you into investing..
Practical guidelines for verifying legitimate offers
If you still have doubts about a proposal, invest time in verifying it. Look up the company in official records, check the website domain, compare reviews, and assess whether there are professional contact methods. (Corporate email, headquarters, verifiable phone number). Be suspicious if everything is managed through anonymous chats and they demand upfront payments to 'activate' or 'unlock' features.
Check if the domain was created a few weeks ago, if its privacy policy is generic or copied, and if the legal representative is opaque. Ephemeral websites with .vip, .app, or .work extensions, associated with names like TaskEarn, Job4U, ClickProfit, or LikeMaster, are a recurring pattern..
What the authorities and support organizations are saying
Police forces stress the importance of reporting crimes, not only to try to recover what has been lost, but also to help identify the networks and prevent new victims. They also recommend notifying the platform where it happened (WhatsApp, Instagram, TikTok or Telegram) so that they can block accounts and groups.Entities and associations specializing in financial fraud offer guidance and support to those affected, which is useful for knowing how to proceed and not feeling alone during the process.
From the first warning to the formal complaint, key decisions will be in your hands. The speed with which you act, the quality of the evidence, and communication with your bank can make all the difference. in mitigating the damage and in subsequent investigation.
This phenomenon is not an isolated setback: it evolves and mutates over time. Today it's 'likes', tomorrow it could be another excuse with the same script. Trust, investment, and loss. The best defense combines healthy skepticism, constant verification, and digital security habits.
Anyone who comes across these supposed opportunities should keep in mind that shortcuts rarely lead to a good outcome. When an offer promises easy money for minimal actions, asks for your investment, operates in chat rooms, and avoids verification, you're facing a red light.Keeping a cool head, consulting official sources, and cutting off any prepayments is the most effective way to avoid falling into this trap.
The reality is stubborn: scammers prey on the desire for quick income and the online environment to make you lower your guard. Retaining what you've learned—signs, response steps, and reporting channels—puts you in a better position to avoid making the same mistake again..
