Online hustles

Online money-making scam red flags.

Most online hustles are ordinary work with ordinary pay. The offers that go wrong tend to share the same signs. Use this checklist before you pay for a course, a starter kit, a "program" or a spot in a group.

The FTC says honest employers will not ask you to pay to get a job, and it treats promises of large income for little work as a warning sign. If an offer fails the first three items below, stop and check it independently.

The checklist

You pay to start. Fees for training, certification, a starter kit or "access" before you have earned anything. The FTC's job scams guidance lists paying to get hired and upfront placement fees as warning signs.
Income is promised. "Thousands a month with little time and effort" or any guarantee. The FTC calls claims of a lot of money in a short time with little work almost certainly scams. Legitimate earnings claims need a reasonable basis and should reflect what the typical participant gets.
Only the winners are shown. Screenshots and testimonials from top earners. The FTC says truthful testimonials from big earners are likely read as what others should expect, and "results not typical" does not cure that.
The money comes from recruiting. If you earn mainly by signing up other people, the income depends on constant new participants. The FTC's multi-level marketing guidance says that where recruiting is necessary to earn significant rewards, the plan is likely rewarding recruitment.
A check arrives first. Any offer where you deposit a check and send some of the money elsewhere, or buy gift cards, is a fake check scam.
You handle packages or payments for strangers. Reshipping and "payment processing" jobs move stolen goods or money.
The contact is unsolicited and urgent. A direct message or call out of the blue, with a deadline and pressure to decide today.
Payment is vague. No clear rate, no written terms, no explanation of when or how you are paid, no way to see rejected work or a refund policy.
Contact details do not work. No real company name, address or support channel, or a site that vanishes after you pay.

Clipping, reselling and short-form video specifically

Real clipping and creator programs exist and publish their own terms. Check whether the payout rate, per-clip cap, approval rules, platform fee and hold period are in writing before you spend time, whether you are ever asked to pay to join, and whether you can see how many submissions were paid. Rates quoted in videos and group chats are not terms. Put the written numbers in the ranker and see what your hourly rate would be before committing.

What to do if you think it is a scam

Stop paying and stop sending information. Report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and keep screenshots of the offer. If you paid by card, contact the card issuer promptly about a dispute.

Methodology

This is a checklist, not a formula. Each item is a pattern described in the FTC pages listed below. An offer that matches one item is not proven fraudulent; matching several is a reason to verify before paying. The FTC pages are the authority, not this page.

What this does not cover

A verdict on any specific company, person or program. This page cannot tell you whether an offer is a scam.
Legal advice or the status of FTC rulemaking on earnings claims, which you should confirm on ftc.gov.
Non-US consumer protection rules.

Results vary. This page is arithmetic on assumptions you enter. It does not know what any platform, buyer or audience will pay you, it is not a forecast, and it is not an offer or a promise of income. Tax content is general information, not tax advice; check the IRS or CRA source or ask a qualified preparer.

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Sources

Retrieved 2026-10.

FAQ

How can I tell if an online side hustle is a scam?

Check whether you must pay to start, whether income is promised, whether only top earners are shown, whether pay depends on recruiting, and whether terms are in writing. Several matches is a reason to stop and verify.

Is clipping legit?

Clipping programs exist and publish their own terms, but pay varies and some offers are not honest. Read the written rate, cap, approval and payout terms, never pay to join, and judge it by your hourly rate rather than by claims in videos.

Do income disclaimers make an earnings claim acceptable?

The FTC says a "results not typical" disclaimer does not cure a misleading claim. Earnings claims need a reasonable basis and should reflect typical results.

Where do I report a scam?

Report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and, if you paid by card, contact your card issuer.