Solitaire Cash scam claims: fake earn-money tasks and free money offers
Quick answer
If an app, text or post promises easy cash for games, likes or tasks and then asks you to deposit money or pay a fee, it's a scam. The FTC says never pay to get paid, and real prizes are free.
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- (FTC)
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Reviewed by Anthon Wansland
Head of Product & Co-Founder
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How it works
Searches for "Solitaire Cash scam" are usually about offers to earn money from games or simple online work. The FTC describes two scams that fit.
Task scams. An unexpected text or WhatsApp message offers online work: liking videos or rating product images, sold as "product boosting" or "optimization tasks". You see a growing tally of earnings in an app. The earnings are fake. At some point the platform asks you to deposit your own money, usually in crypto, before you can do the next set of tasks or withdraw. Pay, and the money is gone. The earnings never arrive.
Free money on social media. Scammers impersonate lottery winners, sometimes using real winners' names, and say they're giving money away. If you reply, they ask for your phone number, say you won and must act fast, then tell you to pay "processing and delivery fees" with gift cards.
A game app that pays real cash is a different thing from these offers. Check any app's own help page before you deposit or share details.
Sources checked: consumer.ftc.gov
Last verified against the official page:
Red flags
- An unexpected text or WhatsApp message about online work
- Pay for liking, rating or boosting things online
- A balance that grows in an app but can only be withdrawn after you deposit money
- Deposits requested in crypto
- A social media post saying someone will give money to the first people who message
- Fees for taxes, shipping or processing to receive a prize
- Pressure to act fast, or payment by gift card
Example message
We're hiring part-time. Complete simple tasks, earn $200 a day. Message us on [app] to start. Your earnings are ready, deposit [amount] to continue with the next set of tasks.
What to do
- 1
Ignore and delete the message
Don't reply, click or move the chat to another app. The FTC says real employers won't contact you with generic unexpected texts or WhatsApp messages about jobs.
- 2
Don't pay to get paid
Never deposit money or pay fees to get a job, a prize or your "earnings".
- 3
If you paid, contact the company you paid with
Report it to your bank, card issuer, payment app, gift card issuer or crypto exchange and ask for a reversal. The FTC's guide on what to do if you were scammed covers each method.
- 4
If you shared personal details, secure your accounts
Change passwords for accounts you mentioned and turn on two-factor authentication. If you gave your Social Security number, go to IdentityTheft.gov.
- 5
Report it
Report the scam to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
Report it
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Official alerts
Frequently asked
Is Solitaire Cash a scam?
The scams above use the promise of easy money, not a particular game. The FTC says any offer that makes you pay to get paid, or to receive a prize, is a scam.
What is a task scam?
The FTC defines it as a scam where you do repetitive tasks like liking videos or rating images for supposed commissions. The money is fake and you're later asked to deposit your own.
Can I get money back that I deposited?
Contact the company you paid with right away and ask. Crypto payments don't have the same legal protections as cards, so it can be hard.
Would anyone really pay me to like things online?
The FTC says no honest company will, and calls it illegal.
Sources
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