Instagram "Like and Earn" Task Scam: What If I Already Paid?

Task scams spread through Instagram DMs and ads. Here's what to do if you paid.

Last checked: 29 October 2026 against the sources listed at the end of this guide.

#How does the scam work?

1. A DM or ad offers money for likes or follows.
2. You're paid small amounts.
3. You're moved to Telegram or WhatsApp.
4. You're asked to pay for 'premium tasks'.
5. Withdrawals are blocked until you pay more.

Meta's Prohibited Commercial Practices policy says Meta prohibits content that deceives people out of money, property or personal information, including false job offers, celebrity and brand bait, investment schemes with guaranteed returns, giveaway schemes and romance schemes. It also lists links that appear to lead to legitimate sites but instead lead to scam sites. Meta says its enforcement isn't perfect and it may not detect every violation, so reporting helps.

Malaysia's Semakmule portal, run by the Royal Malaysia Police Commercial Crime Investigation Department, lets you check whether a bank account number has been reported to the police before you pay. It shows the most reported scam accounts, but PDRM says it isn't responsible for losses from using the site's information, so an account that isn't listed isn't necessarily safe.

#Where do I report?

Related guides: Instagram DM Scams in 2026: Fake Prizes, Votes and "Copyright" Messages. What If I Already Clicked?, Kena Tipu Parcel Palsu di WhatsApp (Pos Laju, J&T): Apa Nak Buat Selepas Klik Pautan?.

Malaysia's official portal says the National Scam Response Centre (NSRC) is a rapid response centre set up by the government to handle online financial scam cases in real time, with Bank Negara Malaysia and the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM). The NSRC hotline runs 24 hours, every day. The portal says to call the NSRC within 24 hours of discovering you've been scammed, so the authorities can block bank accounts and transactions to help recover funds, then contact your bank and make a police report at the nearest police station. It lists online shopping scams, investment scams, love scams and impersonation of banks or government agencies among the scams you can report.

Singapore's ScamShield Helpline page says the ScamShield Helpline is available 24 hours, every day. You can call it to check whether something is a scam, get advice, or, if you're a victim, be connected directly to one of seven banks: DBS/POSB, UOB, OCBC, Citibank, Maybank, Standard Chartered and HSBC. ScamShield says the helpline can't make a police report for you; that has to be done online with the police or at a Neighbourhood Police Centre.

ReportFraud.ftc.gov is the US federal government's website for reporting fraud, scams and bad business practices. The FTC says reports are shared with over 2,000 law enforcers and entered into Consumer Sentinel, a secure database used by authorities worldwide. It also says it can't resolve individual reports, but uses them to spot patterns, investigate and bring cases.

In the UK, scams are now reported to Report Fraud, which replaced Action Fraud as the national fraud and cybercrime reporting service on 4 December 2025. If money has left your account, call your bank first.

#What common mistakes should I avoid?

• Paying a 'withdrawal fee'.
• Waiting before calling the bank.
• Deleting the chats.
• Trusting recovery agents.

#What Do the Official Help Pages Say?

Instagram's Report a post or profile page says you can report content for reasons including scam, fraud or spam, and report a profile for pretending to be someone else. Tap Options on the post or profile, then Report, and follow the steps. Instagram says reports are anonymous, except for intellectual property reports, so the account won't see who reported it.

ScamShield's What to include when you file a police report page lists what to gather: the date and time of the scam, how they contacted you, the scammer's phone number, email, website links or other contact details, screenshots of messages, receipts or invoices, bank transaction records showing the loss, and any recordings. Mention reports you've already made, for example to your bank or the ScamShield Helpline, with their reference numbers, and the steps you've taken to stop further losses.

ScamShield's I've been scammed page gives four steps: contact your bank immediately, because it can act to stop further losses; file a police report online or at a Neighbourhood Police Centre or Post, or call the police emergency line for urgent help; tell your contacts and secure any compromised account by changing the password and turning on two-factor authentication; and for e-commerce scams, report the seller to the platform. It says you can also share information through the Police Hotline or the I-Witness e-Service.

#How do I keep the account safe while I sort this out?

• Never share a login code, password or backup code with anyone, including people who say they work for Meta, the police or a recovery service.
• Make sure the email address and phone number on the account are ones you still control, and remove any you do not recognise.
• Turn on two-factor authentication where the platform offers it, ideally with an authenticator app, and keep your backup codes somewhere offline.
• Log in only from the official app or by typing the address yourself, not from links in messages, comments or ads.
• Keep screenshots of every notice, email and step you take, with dates, in case you need them for a review or a report.
• Make one careful attempt at each official step rather than many rushed ones, because repeated failed attempts can trigger extra checks.

#When It Is Safer to Get Expert Help

Ask for help before you appeal if the account matters to your income, your business or your memories, if you have already had one appeal rejected, or if you cannot tell whether the problem is a bug, a restriction or a hack. That is where most avoidable losses happen.

AwareXone is independent and not affiliated with Meta, Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp or Threads. Recovery work is best-effort and the platform makes the final decision.