CRIMINALS are targeting skint Brits by offering them cash in exchange for liking TikTok videos in a new scam.
The bank is warning people to be wary of a new online side hustle being promised by fraudsters as an easy way to make some extra money in the post-Christmas period.
Over £95,000 was stolen from Santander customers between October and December 2025 by scammers offering money for completing “tasks”, including liking or sharing social media influencer posts.
Almost a third (£31,000) of the money stolen was from customers “recruited” to like videos on TikTok, it said.
People aged between 20-55 are most commonly targeted, Santander added, and it warned that criminals often use legitimate company names such as Allianz, Starfish and Indeed to gain people’s trust.
The scam normally works by fraudsters contacting victims directly on social media or WhatsApp, posing as a “recruitment agent” with a job offer.
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You will then be told to complete a test “task” to earn money – which tends to be promoting social media posts or products.
The scammers might send you a small payment for completing the task as a way to gain your trust – but this is all part of a wider ploy to swipe your money.
You will then be told to download another messaging app, such as Telegram, to connect with other “members”, and will be asked to open an account on a cryptocurrency platform.
They will ask you to complete more tasks, but say that you need to pay to access them, with the promise of getting a higher return. However, you will then be blocked from accessing your funds, and normally told that you need to pay more money to release it.
Red flags to look out for, according to Santander, include a job offer seeming too good to be true, or being asked to pay a fee in order to do a job.
“January payday still feels a long way off for many, as the costs of Christmas start to roll in, others use this time to re-evaluate their finances and start saving for the year ahead,” says Santander head of fraud strategy Chris Ainsley.
“Looking for ways to make some extra cash provides scammers with an opportunity to pounce. Be wary of any jobs that seem too good to be true, promising returns for simply ‘liking’ social media content.
“Start the new year alert – even if you’ve earned a couple of pounds from a few clicks before – any requests to pay an up-front fee to take on a job should be treated as a scam.”
If you think you have fallen for a fake job offer, you should stop talking to the person who has recruited you immediately.
Take a note of their details and report it to Action Fraud (0300 123 2040, actionfraud.police.uk).
