Fake Mercor Recruiters: How the Scam Works and How to Spot It

Short answer: Mercor is real, but scammers copy its name. A message saying you have been "selected for a Mercor AI job" that arrives on WhatsApp, Telegram or LinkedIn, then asks for a fee, your MoMo or bank details, or a copy of your Ghana Card, is almost certainly fake. Real Mercor work starts on mercor.com, and Mercor says it never asks for money.

How does the fake Mercor recruiter scam work?

1. The hook. You get an unexpected message praising your profile and offering remote AI work at a high hourly rate, often "no interview needed".
2. The move. The "recruiter" asks you to continue on a personal WhatsApp or Telegram account, sometimes in a group full of "colleagues" posting payment screenshots.
3. The fee. Before you can start, you must pay for "onboarding", "training", "verification", a "work slot" or equipment. Sometimes it is small at first, then grows.
4. The data grab. Some scams skip the fee and collect your Ghana Card, a selfie and bank or MoMo details "for your contract", which can be used for fraud in your name.

What are the signs of a fake Mercor offer?

• It came to you first, unasked, on a messaging app.
• It skips Mercor's application and AI interview.
• Anyone asks you to pay, or to "top up" to unlock earnings.
• You are asked for your MoMo PIN, a code sent to your phone, or online banking details.
• The link is not on mercor.com (look closely for extra letters, dashes or other endings).
• You are sent a cheque or money to "buy equipment" and send part of it back. That is the fake cheque scam.

How do you check if a Mercor message is real?

• Log in at mercor.com yourself (do not use the link in the message) and see whether the offer appears in your account.
• Email support@mercor.com from your own email and ask.
• Check the sender's number or handle on TrustCheck to see if others have reported it.

What should you do if you already paid or shared your details?

• Call your MoMo provider or bank immediately and ask them to block or reverse the payment.
• If you shared your Ghana Card or bank details, tell your bank and watch for loans or accounts opened in your name.
• Report it to the Cyber Security Authority: call or text 292, or WhatsApp 0501603111.
• Report the number on TrustCheck so the next person who checks it is warned.

The same tricks are used with other AI platforms' names. Read fake "AI training" job scams and task scams on WhatsApp and Telegram.

Where these facts come from (checked 31 October 2026): Mercor: time tracking and pay policies; US FTC: that job offer text is probably a scam.