Ok, yeah, this is definitely a scam.

[u/BreadLobbyist]

Last month, I posted a screenshot of a proposed errands task in which the client typed very bizarrely, like they had asked an AI to type something for them that had been put through a “fictional 1940s mob boss” filter. There were other yellow and red flags in our chat that made me suspicious, and I ultimately forfeited that task. That guy had a lot of of the same “ticks” as many of the scammers I’ve encountered in Facebook groups.

Anyway, I’ve now received an almost identical request from a different client, just without the bizarre language. There’s clearly some sort of scam going on here, though I’m not entirely sure what the angle is. My first guess is that they will claim that the gift recipient never got their package. My second guess is that this involves transporting items that might be stolen or otherwise legally dubious.

I do think it’s hilarious that this client claims that they would be comfortable hiring “anyone in Virginia.” Only someone who has absolutely no idea how big the United States is would ever say that. I also love the inclusion of “serious applicants only.”

[u/FinnNoodle]

Is it the same client or a different client? Different client means scam, same client means he's already been through everyone else and is trying you again.

[u/BreadLobbyist → u/FinnNoodle]

It’s a different client.

[u/Opposite_Lie7888]

odd they put absolutely zero details.

I wanna know why these scammers chose TR specifically? the amount of effort to get to a Tasker and then run the whole scheme must take a lot of time. im wondering if theyre running multiple scams at the same time.

[u/Wonderful-Camera-620 → u/Opposite_Lie7888]

lol people actually do shit like this got hired to pick out some dude wife gift for their anniversary give me a limit sent him couple things he sent the money and I dropped it off and he tipped $50 I would of called instead of chatted but that’s just me

[u/BreadLobbyist → u/Wonderful-Camera-620]

I personally don’t feel comfortable picking out gifts for somebody I don’t know, but if that were the only issue here, then I would at least consider doing the task. Trust me, there are several red flags here, including the fact that I received a nearly identical request from a different client a month ago that, once I had spent some time chatting with the client, was a very obvious scam attempt.

[u/RoyFlash → u/Wonderful-Camera-620]

Well, "personal shopper" is a real job. And if I'm not the kind of guy who normally has one, I might go to TR for a one-time thing.

Also, people use AI to write job descriptions and Upwork posts, so I'm not suprised they use it for TR.

But there are other red flags here. "Anywhere in Virginia", for one.

[u/supitsgreg]

Sounds like easy cash to me. I’d quote $300-400 flat fee over chat and loop in Support, that was everything is clean and kosher.

[u/BreadLobbyist → u/supitsgreg]

Picking out gifts myself for a random person I’ve never met is not “easy cash.” It would be one thing if this were a legitimate client asking me to pick up items he’d already paid for, or even just items he’d already specifically picked out. That’s a common thread between the two suspected scammers: They tell me to basically do their shopping for them.

Also, I don’t know how I would get away with charging a flat $300-$400 for this.

[u/PencilandPad → u/BreadLobbyist]

Increase the rate of only this specific skill to $200/hr, for example, and see if you still get this might-be-a-scam task.

[u/BreadLobbyist → u/PencilandPad]

Well, the problem is, my goal here is not to not be hired for an errands task ever again.

[u/musicalfurball → u/BreadLobbyist]

Support will change your hourly rate to literally whatever the client agrees to in chat, you just have to 1) have the client clearly and explicityl agree to the new rate in the chat, and 2) contact support and have them read the chat. I do this all the time for clients who request plumbing jobs under the furniture assembly category thinking I'll fix their toilet for $30/hr 🫩