Spain Launches Campaign Against 'Like-to-Earn' Scams
Spanish police are launching a social media campaign with micropodcasts to warn citizens about a fast-growing online scam that promises easy money for liking content but ultimately leads to victims losing their investments.
Online scams and fraud are now a daily problem for people in Spain. To help protect citizens, the Civil Guard and National Police offer advice on how to avoid falling for the most common tricks.
Social media platforms are widely used, especially by young people. This makes them a key place for both sharing warnings and for scammers to find victims.
The National Police's Central Cybercrime Unit has started a new campaign to help people avoid popular scams. They're using short audio messages, called micropodcasts, available on platforms like WhatsApp, X (formerly Twitter), and Facebook, to reach as many people as possible.
Many users receive messages like this: "We promote companies on social media; if you're interested in earning between 50 and 500 euros daily without leaving home, just by liking content, write to me." This kind of message is a clear sign of a scam. Cybercriminals use it to try and get access to your bank accounts and personal information.
The scam works simply: first, they give victims easy tasks, paying a small amount, usually between two and ten euros. Then, they offer "premium" tasks that require you to deposit money. They claim any profits will go into an account on a fake cryptocurrency investment website, promising high interest rates if you invest your own money.
It all seems perfect until you try to take out your money (your initial investment plus the supposed earnings). A string of excuses follows, and victims eventually realize they've been scammed and have lost everything they invested.
Experts describe this as "one of the newest and fastest-growing online frauds." Scammers offer an easy way to make money by simply liking social media profiles or posts. The trick, as cyber-experts explain, is that after paying you small amounts to get you hooked, they ask for more tasks that require you to pay money – money you will never get back.
Police officers always advise checking messages for spelling mistakes, never clicking on suspicious links, and making sure websites have an HTTPS certificate (look for the padlock symbol). If you've already fallen for a scam, it's crucial to regularly check your bank accounts for unusual activity, change your passwords, and report the fraud. This helps security officers warn others and take action.