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"Like videos and earn" and "guaranteed returns": spotting task scams and fake trading apps

6 min read
Man on a park bench frowning at a message on his phone

Short answer: No one pays you real money to like videos. And no one can guarantee investment returns or IPO allotment (getting shares when a company first sells them to the public). These are scams. They pay you small amounts first to win your trust, then take much more. Before you pay anyone for investing, check that they’re registered with SEBI, India’s stock market regulator. Also check that their UPI ID is a verified “@valid” handle on SEBI Check. If you’ve lost money, call 1930 at once.

The task-scam ladder

  1. “Like 3 videos, get ₹150.” They do pay, to build trust.
  2. “Join our VIP group.” You’re moved to Telegram.
  3. “Prepaid task”: deposit ₹1,000, get ₹1,300 back.
  4. A bigger task: deposit ₹5,000, and a “profit” appears on screen.
  5. “Your account is frozen because of a mistake. Pay ₹20,000 to unlock it.”
  6. “Pay ₹50,000 tax or withdrawal fee to release your balance.” Then silence.

A ₹ example

Fictional. Calculated by Paisavy.

Pooja deposits in stages: ₹1,000 + ₹5,000 + ₹20,000 + ₹50,000 = ₹76,000. Early on she receives ₹1,300 + ₹6,500 = ₹7,800.

Her loss: ₹68,200. The early “profits” were her own money, handed back to pull her in.

Fake trading and “IPO” groups

SEBI has warned about:

  • WhatsApp or Telegram “VIP” and “free trading course” groups. In them, scammers pretend to be SEBI-registered advisers, celebrities or company bosses. The happy “members” posting profits are planted there by the scammers.
  • Offers of an “institutional trading account”, “IPO shares at a discount”, “guaranteed IPO allotment” or anchor-investor access (a special early share slot for big investors in an IPO). These routes aren’t open to ordinary resident Indians.
  • Apps you install from a download link (an APK file) instead of an official app store. They show fake profits but block withdrawals.

How to check before you pay anyone

  1. Is the person or firm registered with SEBI? Search SEBI’s list of intermediaries (registered brokers, advisers and other market firms) on sebi.gov.in. Take the registration number, website and phone from SEBI’s list, not from the chat, and see if they match.
  2. Is the UPI ID a verified “@valid” handle? Since October 2025, SEBI-registered brokers and others collect money through verified UPI IDs ending in @valid. You can check any UPI ID or QR code on SEBI Check.
  3. Is the app from an official store, and listed on the broker’s own website? Never install from a link.
  4. Any “guaranteed” return or allotment means it’s a scam.
  5. Being asked to pay into a personal bank account means stop.

If you’ve already paid

  1. Call 1930 or report at cybercrime.gov.in immediately. Quick reports give the best chance of freezing the money.
  2. Tell your bank through its official channel.
  3. Don’t pay any more “fees” to release your money. Each fee leads to the next.
  4. Complaints against registered brokers or advisers go to SEBI’s SCORES system, its online complaints service. Scammers who aren’t registered are a police matter.

Myths

  • “They paid me the first time, so it’s real.” The early payouts are the bait.
  • “The app shows my profit.” A screen can show any number. If you can’t withdraw it, it isn’t your money.
  • “A SEBI certificate was shared in the group.” Certificates are easy to fake. Check on sebi.gov.in yourself.

Paisavy explains how to check. We don’t recommend investments.

What to check today

  1. Leave any “VIP” or “task” groups you don’t know.
  2. Bookmark SEBI Check and SEBI’s list of intermediaries.
  3. Tell your family about the task-scam ladder.

Sources and review

Try it with your numbers
Fraud checklist
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Educational information, not financial advice. Found an error? Tell us → · Corrections log

Frequently asked questions

Are "like videos and earn money" jobs real?

No. No one pays real money just for liking videos. These task scams pay small amounts first, like ₹150, to win your trust. Then they move you to a Telegram group and ask for "prepaid tasks" with your own money. Soon your account is "frozen" and they ask for fees. Leave the group and pay nothing.

They paid me the first time. Doesn't that mean it is genuine?

No. The early payouts are the bait, and they come from your own money. In our example, Pooja deposits ₹76,000 in stages and gets back ₹7,800 early on. Her loss is ₹68,200. If you can't withdraw a balance, it isn't your money, whatever the app shows on screen.

The app says I must pay tax or a fee to withdraw my profit. Should I pay?

No. Don't pay any more "fees" to release your money, because each fee leads to the next. A screen can show any profit, and these apps block withdrawals. Call 1930 or report at cybercrime.gov.in at once, since quick reports give the best chance of freezing the money. Then tell your bank through its official channel.

How do I check if a stock adviser or broker is registered with SEBI?

Search SEBI's list of intermediaries (registered brokers, advisers and other market firms) on sebi.gov.in. Take the registration number, website and phone from SEBI's list, not from the chat, and see if they match. A SEBI certificate shared in a group proves nothing, because certificates are easy to fake. We explain how to check but don't recommend investments.

What is a @valid UPI ID?

Since October 2025, SEBI-registered brokers and others collect money through verified UPI IDs ending in @valid. You can check any UPI ID or QR code on SEBI Check, SEBI's own tool. If someone asks you to pay into a personal bank account for trading or investing, stop.

Can a WhatsApp group get me guaranteed IPO allotment?

No. Any "guaranteed" return or IPO allotment (getting shares when a company first sells them) means it is a scam. SEBI has warned about groups offering discounted IPO shares, institutional trading accounts or anchor-investor access. These routes aren't open to ordinary resident Indians. Apps installed from a download link (an APK file) instead of an official store often show fake profits.