‘OpenAI’ Job Scam Targeted International Workers Through Telegram

A Bangladeshi worker was eager to get started at their new OpenAI job—completing basic online tasks in exchange for consistent income, while getting into cryptocurrency investing at the same time. After connecting with the startup on Telegram and creating an account through a ChatGPT-branded app, they invested crypto into the platform and began a months-long job working for “Aiden” from “OpenAI.” The work was performed through the website “OpenAi-etc,” and internal conversations were held on Telegram. The story of the scammed “OpenAI” worker is from just one of 11 complaints about OpenAi-etc submitted to the US Federal Trade Commission by workers from Bangladesh last year, seven of which mention “Aiden.” Analysis of the complaints, obtained by WIRED through a public records request, reveal a potentially widespread job scam that used OpenAI’s name recognition to allegedly trick low-wage workers out of their savings. The first FTC complaint obtained by WIRED, lodged over two months before the August 29 rug pull, says the complainant was invited by OpenAi-etc to invest around $170 in crypto. The complaint also highlights a legitimate-looking money service business registered with the US Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, which lists the company’s location as an office inside the Empire State Building in New York City.