I was contacted on WhatsApp after searching for a work-from-home job. I was introduced to an e-commerce platform where you make purchases and rate them. My mentor initially shared her 25% commission with me, so I didn’t need to invest money. After completing tasks, I was able to withdraw funds. However, in the next round, my account balance went negative. I received a "special package" that doubled the commission, bringing my account back to positive. This cycle repeated, and I eventually found myself in debt of $5,090.

Desperate to recover my money, I kept depositing funds as my withdrawal neared, with my mentor contributing to make it seem real. I even opened an account in my husband’s name and received payments, which reassured me. I completed 38 tasks, but my credit score dropped, and I had to pay to increase it. After requesting a withdrawal, I was told I needed to pay $8,000 in taxes, which I did, with my mentor covering $2,000 of it.

Afterward, they demanded I pay 20% of the commission. The system is designed to inflate your account balance so you get stuck and never see a payout. The company claimed to be Publix but spelled their platform as "Publixx," with a website URL of "publixx/.top/ (Scam website, do not click)." They had a customer service agent available daily from 10am to 8pm, but everything felt off. By the time I realised it was a scam, I had lost everything, abandoning over $47,000 they claimed I had earned because I refused to deposit more money.

Please don’t fall for this trap like I did.