Thanks for stopping by to check out my Appen review.
Worrying about money is not fun. If it keeps you up at night, you're not alone. I've been there too. You may have a medical issue making regular work difficult, or someone you're taking care of, and working at home is your best option. Is Appen your solution?
You may have also noticed there’s some cruel reviews about Appen, many calling Appen a scam. So, what’s the deal? Are they a scam?
Or is Appen legit?
Disclaimer:
Please note, I am not a member or an affiliate for Appen. This review has been researched with information and/or testimonials that are available online in the public domain. Any recommendations and/or conclusions are strictly opinions and may not to apply to, or agree with, all persons or situations. See full disclaimer for more info
What is Appen?
Appen is a data collection company that uses information (gathered from human interaction) to make machine learning programs act more “human-like”.
They do this through independent contractors (you) and employees who perform tasks online like speaking phrases into a microphone or having you evaluate social media and search engines.
This type of work is great if you need to work from home, but like many online “jobs” they usually don't pay very well. What you need is peace of mind.
The question is… can Appen provide it?
Medical issues may be a challenge… young ones to look after or maybe there's no jobs. It's stressful.
Peace of mind is what you want and although Appen may be one source of income… getting it from multiple sources online is what you need to get what you want.
To learn how I did it, I'm going to give you a free step by step beginner's guide to making money online and you can get it by clicking HERE.
In addition to these money-making strategies, doing things like online surveys with companies like Survey Junkie are a great way to put some quick cash in your pocket. Inbox Dollars is another way to make some extra money by doing things online like watching videos, searching, and visiting websites.
How Does Appen Work?
The information you provide to Appen (spoken phrases, social media evaluations, etc.) is fed to artificially intelligent systems (A.I.) to help them become more human.
Machines are getting smarter, but you still have the advantage. When it comes to understanding things like intent and ambiguity, machines need you (but the gap is closing fast in 2023).
For example… when you opened a book, it only took you a few sentences (maybe only a few words) to recognize the tone and emotion; to understand what the writer is trying to convey. Is it suspenseful… or is it funny?
With human input (and large language models (LLM) like Google's Bard and Open AI's ChatGPT), A.I. in 2023 has that capability.
A machine (or algorithm) use to see blocks of text with individual words, but understanding how those words relate to one another and what they are trying to convey was difficult.
Another simple example of where artificial intelligence used to get it wrong is…
When you type the word apple into a search engine, do you mean the apple you eat, or the Apple that builds your phone? Appen workers have been essential in helping A.I. understand the difference.
Key Takeaways
- Appen is a data collection company that helps make machine learning programs more “human-like”. It was founded in 1996 and is headquartered in Sydney, Australia.
- A new CEO and President was appointed in February 2023 named Armughan Ahmad.
- They employ independent contractors and employees to perform tasks such as speaking phrases into a microphone and evaluating social media and search engines.
- Appen is a legitimate company, not a scam. It has been a significant employer for remote workers worldwide.
- One reason some call Appen a scam is that they are a popular target for scammers impersonating them.
- Positive reviewers say they like working for Appen and enjoy the flexibility. Also, previous payment issues seem to have been solved in 2023.
- Negative reviews are related to low pay and inconsistent work.
- Appen independent contractors are not employees and do not receive regular salary and benefits.
What Does Appen Do?
So… working for Appen is really about doing things humans do so that machines can observe and become more human.
Just a few of the things Appen does with your help are…
- Search engine results evaluation
- Cataloging data types such as images, video, audio, text, and multimedia
- Point-to-point navigation verification
- Evaluate ads to ensure content and landing pages are relevant
- Audio, video, and image annotation, transcription, pre-labeling, and classification.
- Text annotation, evaluation, and post-editing
And those of you who have worked remotely at these types have jobs for Appen and similar companies have had a massive impact.
Is Appen a Legit or a Scam?
That’s a good question, and the short answer is no. Appen is not a scam.
Appen is 100% legit and has been a significant employer for remote workers worldwide. But they've been the target of scammers, which has caused some confusion. The following update explains, and Appen also reached out to with an official statement (see below).
Important Update: I've been getting quite a few comments and questions about Appen asking for personal information like debts, credit cards, phone bills etc. It seems these requests also come with a claim that Appen provides you with an Apple computer, iPhone and other equipment required to do the job.
You may also be told they're going to deposit funds into your bank account so you can purchase software.
I've spoken with Appen about this and the above requests (and claims) are coming from someone who is not associated with Appen. Here is their official anti-spam statement.
***Official statement from Appen***
Appen recruiting will only contact candidates with a verified @appen.com or @connect-mail.appen.com email address and will never ask them for money or gift cards. There is no charge to join Appen. We encourage you to report any messages you receive from unverified accounts as fraud and discontinue the conversation. If you’d like to read more about safety tips for your job search, please visit the Life at Appen blog.
As you know, most face-to-face employers don't give new employees Apple computers, iPhones and cash to buy software. And they certainly don't ask you for personal information such as debts and credit card numbers, so something is obviously going on here.
Therefore, whoever is doing (or asking you) this is running a phishing scam and pretending to be from Appen. But they are NOT from Appen.
If you go to Appen's frequently asked questions page they specifically say you must provide your own equipment.
So, if someone is claiming to be from Appen and promising you thousands of dollars worth of equipment and cash (to purchase software) they are trying to scam you.
You can read more about this from others in the comments section below (at the bottom of this review) and you can also refer to Appen's official statement above.
So, if you find comments or complaints suggesting Appen is not legit, just know that they were founded in 1996 and are headquartered in Sydney, Australia.
Appen now operates in 130 countries and employs up to 400,000 work-at-home contractors.
They are a real company, with a real address, and a real CEO.
In fact, Appen appointed a new CEO and President in Feb 2023 named Armughan Ahmad.
The flat-out scams you may be thinking of have none of those things. They use fake addresses', fake CEOs, and vague contact information (nothing more than an email).
In most cases, they’ll also ask for money up front and make ridiculous claims and promises.
That is not the case with Appen.
Appen holds the top spot in Flexjobs' list of Top 100 Companies with Remote Jobs
Having said that, some of the Appen reviews online are… for lack of a better word… disturbing. Although they are legit, does that mean Appen is a good company to work for?
I’ll discuss those reviews more in a moment, but for now, it’s important to be clear that Appen is a real company… not a scam.
So… why are some reviewers calling Appen a scam?
Appen Reviews
This is where it doesn’t look so good for Appen.
Most of the bad Appen reviews are related to poor support, low pay, and not getting paid at all.
Low pay is one thing, not getting paid at all is another.
There’s no way to validate these complaints, but we can learn a little about the people who are reporting them.
For example, here are a couple negative reviews from Sitejabber.
The first reviewer talks about not getting paid for going back and forth with email.
How would that work?
Would you bill Appen for your time going back and forth with email? Maybe charge them per email?
Do you get paid while waiting for a reply?
I don’t mean to pick on the reviewer, but clearly there is a misunderstanding here.
A lawyer might charge their client for individual emails, phone calls etc. But, as an independent contractor working for Appen, I don’t think you can bill them for email communication.
It's difficult to comment on some of the other complaints.
I've seen it before where a company did not respond to emails, not because they were ignoring the person, but because the person was being abusive or unreasonable in their requests.
It's also possible when people are not getting paid at all, there was quality of work issue.
I'm NOT saying that is the case here, and that these are not legitimate complaints, but it's not fair to discount the positive reviews either.
In many cases, these issues arise because people have a misconception of how the contractor/client relationship works, which I'll discuss more about in a moment.
First, I'll go over some of Appen's reviews from 2023 which give us an idea how they've evolved over the years.
I have not seen any reviews about payment issues in 2023.
However, In Sept 2022 an Appen Search Engine Evaluator review indicated that there were some issues getting paid. These complaints are far and few between it seems, and Appen employs hundreds of thousands of workers, so it shouldn't be concerning.
Overall, they've seemed to have gotten much better over the years.
Some recent reviews and complaints from Glassdoor do mention some issues, mainly that work availability has been inconsistent and onboarding slow.
However, on a positive note, people generally like working for Appen and enjoy the flexibility.
Again, one of the issues comes down to pay and the employer/independent contractor relationship.
Let me explain…
Appen Employee vs. Appen Independent Contractor
An Appen “employee” receives a regular salary and benefits. And… like most traditional “jobs”, they have a manager they report to.
This is different…
What we’re talking about is being an independent contractor for Appen, which in many ways, is the opposite of being an employee.
Doing Appen work at home jobs (or any work at home job) with an “employee mindset” will always lead to frustration, because you are NOT their employee.
As an independent contractor (freelancer), you effectively become your own business. You are selling a service.
Appen is your client, and they are buying a service from YOU, not the other way around. They do not owe you anything other than what they’ve agreed to pay you for your services.
In many cases, contractors claim that “pay” is not enough, but smart work-at-home contractors earn money from multiple sources.
You can combine it with other money-making strategies like online surveys with companies like Survey Junkie, as well as surfing the web with Inbox Dollars and even building an online business.
Working With Appen
I’ll meander away from Appen for a moment to give a big business example of this relationship (for anyone who is interested), because succeeding as a freelancer requires the same attitude and understanding.
If a company that manufactures car speakers wants to sell car speakers to Toyota (just as an example), they would have to present Toyota with a proposal (comparable to applying with a resume)… and prove they could meet Toyota's demands for quality, quantity and service.
Toyota would then agree (or disagree) to buy the speakers, and tell the manufacturer how much they would be willing to pay.
The speaker company would then look at Toyota's offer, run their numbers, and decide if it was profitable to take Toyota on as a client.
When dealing with Appen, your application and resume is your proposal. You are telling them these are the services you (your business) are willing to provide.
They accept your proposal (hopefully) and make you an offer.
They might be willing to pay you $40 for what will be approximately 4 hours of your time (just an example). You decide if forty bucks is worth your time… with the understanding that any additional expense (or additional time) is your responsibility, not theirs.
Some jobs might pay well and others won’t but that’s the life of an independent contractor and over time you’ll filter out the bad ones and keep working with the good ones.
Anyway…
My apologies for getting too far off topic, but if you’re reading Appen reviews, you’re probably also reading other work-at-home reviews. And, it’s important to see them through the proper lens of the independent contractor/client relationship.
A lot of negative reviews are legitimate, but many are unfair because the reviewer is judging Appen (and their experience) as an employee…
But, they are not employees…
And, in most cases you won’t get paid for unproductive work… which includes going back and forth with email, training, or taking tests.
Another reason it’s important to think of yourself as a business with clients, is because a business does not have only one client.
If you want to work at home full-time, you need multiple clients.
And, for the record… there are positive Appen reviews out there as well.
Appen Work at Home Jobs
The most common job people are interested in is the social media evaluator position because like surveys, it's a simple way to make money.
But there are many more jobs that Appen offers.
Before I go over a list of Appen jobs and their unique requirements, the following are common qualifications for most of the jobs Appen provides…
Minimum Qualifications Include
- Access to a computer (with sound card and speakers), and/or access to a smart phone (less than 3 years old).
- Access to high-speed internet and distraction free (non-public) work environment.
- Strong English writing skills.
- The capability of working with programs and apps such as web browsers and search tools.
- Basic troubleshooting skills and the ability to follow instructions.
- Ability to work independently with minimal supervision
- Good attention to detail
- Flexibility to learn from changing standards and tasks
Work Schedule
- Social Media Evaluators and other remote work is part-time, generally up to 20 hours/week.
- The work is flexible, and you can work it into your schedule.
- 1-4 hours of work each day for 5-7 days (per week) is common.
Job Descriptions and Specific Qualifications
As mentioned, the search engine evaluator is the most popular Appen job. Social media evaluator, which involves providing feedback on ads, news feeds, and search results is also popular.
Below are the common Appen jobs most often posted on job boards, along with current qualifications unique to the position. HOWEVER, not all positions are available at all times, and post-specific qualifications may differ depending on when you're reading this.
Also, I just want to make a quick distinction between data entry and data collection. We get the occasional email asking if we know of any Appen Data Entry jobs, but Appen is not a data entry company.
There are data entry jobs you can do, but what Appen needs from you is generally more than simple data entry.
Data “collection” differs from data entry in that it requires a decision and a specific response from you. For example, you may have to answer multiple-choice questions.
Search Engine Evaluator
Judge ads, evaluate queries, and provide feedback on search products.
Job-specific qualifications – Strong written and spoken fluency in English and Spanish.
Search Ads Evaluator
Contribute data to improve internet-based search results.
Job-specific qualifications – This job often requires that have lived in the United States for a number of years.
Search Engine Rater
Judge ads and provide feedback on search products.
Job-specific qualifications – May require long-term project commitment (10-15 hours minimum/week).
Social Media Content Evaluator
Share thoughts and feelings on various images and social media content to enhance user experience.
Job-specific qualifications – May have to work 10-20 hours per week using a laptop or desktop computer equipped. Google's Chrome browser is preferred.
Math Experts (Current Pilot Project)
Compile and check math word problems for a pilot project.
Job-specific qualifications – Experience in math education and ability to design and explain math word problems.
Web Results Evaluator
Evaluate and analyze content to improve search results accuracy.
Job-specific qualifications – Must be a resident of the United States.
Avatar Testing
Give feedback on the Avatar feature of Messenger.
Job-specific qualifications – Willingness to create and test a personal animated avatar.
Transcript Data Collector
Share transcripts of voice commands given to smart home speakers.
Job-specific qualifications – Ownership of Google Home smart speaker and/or Amazon Echo.
Voice Evaluation Project
Evaluate the naturalness of machine-generated voices.
Job-specific qualifications – You'll need to be a native English speaker and have a good headset.
Creative Text Contributor
Create “prompt pairs” for an open-domain chatbot.
Job-specific qualifications – Appen will make sure you have strong language skills, creativity, and resourcefulness for this gig.
Video Documentation
This is a freelance gig where you submit videos of various actions and activities as per Appen's needs.
Job-specific qualifications – Consent from participants as well consent from the parent or guardian of minor participants.
Certified Web Accessibility Tester
Detect bugs and determine if websites meet accessibility guidelines.
Job-specific qualifications – This is a little more advanced than some of Appen's other jobs. You'll need web accessibility certification and familiarity with WCAG 2.0 or 2.1 guidelines.
Virtual Assistant Validator
Help tune virtual assistants by writing and validating queries.
Job-specific qualifications – Appen often advertises this position's requirements as a fluent speaker of various languages (e.g., Norwegian, Russian) and familiarity with smart assistants.
Voice Contributor
Contribute voice data to improve voice recognition technology.
Job-specific qualifications – iOS device (iPhone 8 or newer) or Android devices from 2017 or newer are currently required, and the ability to record in a quiet indoor environment.
Other Appen Work at Home Jobs
Most of the work at home jobs offered at Appen have similar qualifications and schedules (as the social media evaluator position and others listed above).
Some of these jobs include,
Crowdsourcing – projects include user experience research, audio transcription, and content evaluation.
Voice Data Collection – reading and recording short phrases into a smartphone app.
Annotator – Semantic mark-up of transcribed text (various languages).
Appen also has higher education jobs for Linguists, Language Engineers and Contract Trainers (below), as well as strict 8-hour Monday to Friday jobs like Helpdesk Specialists
How Much Does Appen Pay?
The hourly rate at Appen varies by job. In general, people have reported salaries in the $12-$14, but some have said they've been paid in the $18 per hour range, and depending on where you live, that may be good… or not so good.
There are also some anomalies (for example, $30/hr for a data collector), but at best, these reported examples are just a guide and you won't get rich working for Appen.
Also, as mentioned above, Appen work-at-home positions do not come with benefits (and the salaries reported are before taxes).
With that said, if you're question is does Appen pay well, there are some suggestions that pay is decreasing, not increasing. One person commented in their review that their pay has dropped in 2023 from $13.75 per hour down to $9.00 per hour.
This is unconfirmed, but it is possible. AI language models have become extremely intelligent this year beating many humans on tests, so it's not out of the question that Appen needs fewer workers to train AI models to be more “human-like”.
They are already eerily human-like.
At the same time, there may be an increase in the number of people who need remote work.
So an oversupply of potential workers and an undersupply of jobs will likely lead to lower wages. That could be the situation we find ourselves in 2023 and beyond. Maybe…
If you're not able to get hired for the higher paying jobs, there are other opportunities to making money online.
Appen Alternatives
There are several alternatives to Appen you might consider. To be clear, Appen is legit and a good company to work for as far as remote goes, but there are also work-at-home jobs and side hustles.
Some of the specific alternatives include,
Who is Appen For?
Appen is for people who want (or need) a flexible, remote work option. This can include stay-at-home parents and people with other dependents.
Those with medical issues who need to work from home are also well-suited to Appen, as are students, part-time workers, and anyone else who wants to earn extra income from home.
Next Steps…
No job is perfect, and whether it’s a work-at-home job or a regular job, people are going to complain.
You shouldn’t overlook the negative Appen reviews, but you also shouldn’t let them to hold you back from what might turn out to be a great opportunity (and learning experience).
It might feel like your options are limited, and it’s true… finding a job you can do from home isn’t easy.
And it's stressful trying something new and unknown.
Depending on your reasons, whether it’s your health, kids, or just a bad economy… if you don’t have financial stability, you'll spend far too many nights lying awake and worrying.
Getting peace of mind is definitely something you want, and earning income online can provide it, but it's not easy. I've been there too… and I can tell you this…
It is possible.
I'm going to give you a free step by step beginner's guide to making money online and you can get it by Clicking Here
I hope this Appen review was helpful and if you have any comments or questions, please share in the comments section below.
You can search for Appen jobs here.
If you need to earn a few extra bucks, it might be exactly what you’re looking for. Especially if you combine it with other money-making methods like Survey Junkie and Inbox Dollars or my top recommended strategy.
Great review! I’m definitely considering applying to Appen after reading this post. It’s always good to have more information before investing time and money into a work-at-home opportunity. Thanks for sharing your experience!
Great review of Appen! I completely agree that it’s important to do your research and thoroughly vet any work-at-home opportunity before signing up. I’m glad you had a positive experience with Appen and are able to work flexibly from home. Thanks for sharing your experience!
I received an email from a Laura Powell after seeing the work from home data entry position stating that I need to download the Signal Messenger App and send a message to phone number 716-508-7161 who is supposed to be the hiring manager. He asked me for all this information including my credit score and if I had any credit cards I owed on because the company helps to pay off any credit I have. I sent him a picture of the front and back of my ID (after I asked him was this company legit because I just had that feeling that it wasn’t)then he tells me I need to purchase a Vanilla Prepaid Card so the company can add funds to purchase the materials I would need for the data entry position along with send me the FREE laptop. When I questioned the job they just kept saying it is 100% legit. I should of known. Either way I deleted them and reported it. Scammer Alert at it’s best!! Be careful y’all.
i am interasted to make money on appen
Appen is the worst when it comes to processing your pay. They will pay you after 3 months. You will wait two months for the invoice and then they will generate the invoice after the deadline which will then be paid next month since you will not be able to submit it on time.
Doesn’t APPEN only work with a few states in the usa?
Hi..I just happened to bump into your detailed verse on the pros and cons of working on a contract basis and shedding light on misconceptions regarding a stalwart company such as Appen. I am yet to broach your step by step details on how to earn the extra bucks but thank you in advance for giving clarity and clearing my brain fog..
Hi everyone
They might be a legal entity with address and website and…etc but please do not waste your time with the.
They give you a task to handle, halfway through the task suddenly disappers without any prior notification, then you ask to be paid and they put you on for a few months saying Finance Department is studying your case and you would be paid soon.
After Drag g the case for a long time, they simp,y reject 90 percent of your tasks, pay you USD 3 or USD 5 and if you ask for the reason, they have some general criteria to refer to.
I can promise you they do not even read or check your tasks?This is their system of doing business.Even if you do everything 100 according to their guidelines, they will reject your work and after a very long time pay you peanuts.It is a real shame.
Do not waste a minute with them.You get humiliated.
My suggestion is let’s get together, hire a lawyer , sue them and put an end to their current way of doing business. We have tested them and for us everything is crystal clear.
Hello please Sir I asked about a person called Derrick Mikes. Is he from appen company?. He has an E. Mail of appen.communiy@yahoo[.]com. he has connected me since two months for translating a scientific book “climate change evidence and causes” for a payment from appen to me 1,500$. After translation of the booklet, he directed me to the e.mail recorded above and then to Jessica Williams the director of the financial department. Is she working in Appen?
Afterwards an invoice was produced for me. Is this invoice from your appen? It states that I will take 1,500$ after paying 80$ for connecting my account to the portal system of the community and that I must pay the fee so that it will be reflected on my account.
Is this in voice Is produced from Appen?
INV-000001_230214_000434[.]pdf
1. Please tell me are Derrick Mikes and Jessica Williams from your Appen community?
2. Is this invoice produced from the financial department of your community?
3. Was there a project called translation of the booklet “climate change evidence and causes” into native language. Is this project one of the projects in the last months of the transcription part of your community?
Thank you very much
Hi Manal, sorry to hear that you’re having difficulty. Unfortunately, unless there’s been a policy change at Appen and they are now using Yahoo email addresses, it’s unlikely that your correspondence has been with Appen. Because of the prevalence of frauds and scams pretending to be from well-known established businesses, remote work companies, in particular, are very strict about using official company communication. So, if you are contacted through any other platform or method, such as non-company email (as you were in this case), FB Messenger, Whatsapp, Slack, etc., there is a very high chance that it’s a scam. It’s not guaranteed to be a scam, but the probability goes way up.
Hi Manal, my case is exact same as yours. Please tell me did you get the payment from them??
The Guy named alexjames8753@gmail asked me to contact by mail through Upwork. I trusted him and he gave me some tasks through Telegram and gave me 3 books of PDFs to convert into an excel file omitting table graphs etc. After i finished, I Reported him. And he asked me to deposit 300$ dollar. I spend 5 days on his project. He also signed an employment contract paper. What should i do now?
Hii bro, you said that you had done projects for more than 9 months have you signed NDA and master service agreement?
This review was really helpful thank you. I also wanted to know that appen is asking to sign the NDA and master service agreement. Is there any problem if I sign the agreement?
This review was very helpful thank you for sharing your insights and recommendations for online work.
6I believe it is legit, but there are numerous scam links out there. I used one of it, trying to apply, thinking t’was the valid one. Almost cost me.
I would have loved it if Appen officials would do something about that.
t(.)me/Project_awarder
@Alexrotj33333
Are these your employees?
I did a project with them. They are in correspondence with me through above mentioned I’ds and following email address.
appenltd499@gmail(.)com
They are asking for 300$ instead of giving me my payment.
They called me from the following no.
001563-291-1310
They are using Appen trade mark too
the same think happened to me, it’s a scam. Please do not fall for this. They will ask for added fees and email confirmation etc. they are stealing your money.
First let me say, I do not work for Appen, I saw a job posting on LinkedIn and decided to do my due diligence and research it for myself before even considering going further with it. Reading this review and the comments such as yours are part of the research I am currently doing for that reason actually.
The red flag here is the email address you said they used…”gmail(.)com” is not an Appen email according to what I have found in my own research. Any communications from Appen should be from “@appen(.)com” email addresses. Looks like it is a scammer trying to make you think they are an Appen employee. Unfortunately this is not uncommon. Even very legitimate large companies have to deal with scammers impersonating them, and I think it is something very hard to eliminate.
Hello Sir, I have been working with appen from last 9 month. They paid me on time for my projects. But this time i got little late to submit my invoice. I submitted my invoice on 7th June 2022 and it is approved on 16th June 2022. Today is 24th June 2022 and there is no payment done by Appen yet. Does i have to worry about my payment. Please give me some answer.
Did you got your project through telegram?
actually I joined them through upwork. They sent me a mail and In that they given me there telegram account for sending msg regarding projects. Is this legit??
And for data entry job I asked for 50$ as security deposit, is this common or something going fishy around me?
Sounds suspicious
This is surprising. I also spoke to a man through telegram, concerning Appen, and I asked about security fee, but he said no security fees attached
Do you have a Kerri Reynolds working for you in a hiring capacity?
You are completely misunderstanding the negative review in question and you’re misinterpretation is still posted on this website. What the ex contractor means about going back and forth an emails is that there is a terrible communication within appin and you have to go back and forth multiple times in order to get a response. She is saying she still hasn’t been paid yet wow going back and forth an email meaning trying to communicate with them; I was with app and back in 2016 and it was sort of a nightmare, even though their website is more structured now I have to tell you, I’ve completed two projects for them and I have not gotten paid, I repeat I have not gotten paid. I did everything right on my part
This website is not affiliated with Appen. This website is to give a review and offer alternative options. However, if someone reached out to you personally, it’s probably not legitimately from happen. Appen will reach out to you through an automated email once you have selected your projects.
I have just recently joined. Your Bank of America paid off my Capital One account but Capital One needs to speak to the owner of the account to verify. They have restricted my Credit Card until this happens. I have tried to message and call the person who “hired” me and cannot get any response or get in touch with them. Please send me a message to let me know how we can get this situation resolved. I look forward to an IMMEDIATE respnse.
The website has *never* worked for me. I did get paid for the one job I did eventually, but I can neither actually find any jobs available nor can I navigate the site most days. Even finding the login page is a matter of pot luck some days. It’s as if it’s been abandoned for years, or is forever stuck in the middle of a server upgrade and they didn’t bother to tell anyone.
Appen is asking for Personality verification card I am worried to be a scam
Hi , just do not give any information to these guys. It’s a very big team which are fooling people. It just triggered me when I saw mail from them to deposit the cheque of 2500 dollar into my account but before that they asked me to share username n password. Which just hit me then I saw the mail which they sent was some gmail address. Legit company will never ask employees to sent email from their personal mail. I just got saved .
Hi Jyoti, you’re right and Appen clearly states not to trust any correspondence unless it comes from official Appen channels. Definitely not a generic email address.
One mark bryan guy moved me from upwork to telegram, and even the pdf he sent doesn’t look legit.
Had to check up Appen website, and logo again.
God helo us
Is mark bryan not legit? They paid my cc cards off with an ach payment. Asking me to order equipment with purchases of vanilla visa gift cards. I don’t know they threaten to call FBI because I have company funds
I absolutely loved this review, THANK YOU!!!! It helped alot !!!!
This doesn’t seem true to myself…
I’ve assigned to one job opportunity, perform the assessment, and after 1 month the status continues the same… “In process”… Maybe when they approve my assessment, I’m already on other project, and without time to the project i’ve signed for…
From the hundreds or thousands of candidates assessments, they get the translations and transcripts done, and don’t need to pay no one… This is what they do…
I HOPE THAT MY SERVICES TO APPEN ARE RELEVANT AND AID TO IMPROVE THE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE FOR MACHINES
Does one pay refundable deposit to work for appen
No, Appen does not ask you for a deposit. If someone is requesting a deposit or any money from you, they are most likely pretending to be from Appen to appear legit, but it’s not actually Appen.
I have been dealing with a person named: Susan Cassanra, She asked for $100.00 to be put on a One Vanilla card and now is asking for another $100 to be put on an apple card. Point of contact started with : Sutton Williams suttonwilliams1118@gmail.com>
Hi Sheryl, I wouldn’t trust someone contacting you through gmail. Appen specifically states that legitimate communication is through their official email. They also won’t ask you to mess around with gift cards, which is a sure sign of a scam.
I believe it is legit, but there are numerous scam links out there. I used one of it, trying to apply, thinking t’was the valid one. Almost cost me.
I would have loved it if Appen officials would do something about that.
Hello please Sir I asked about a person called Mr Harris Smith,
@harris_smith0 and now
Hither Mann, @Hithermann344
Is he from appen company?. He has an E. Mail of appen.communiy@yahoo[.]com. he has connected me since two months for conversion of over than 100 images to Word ” for a payment from appen to me 3000$. After completion of the work, he directed me to the e.mail recorded above and then to Jessica Williams the director of the financial department. Is she working in Appen?
Afterwards an invoice was produced for me. Is this invoice from your appen? It states that I will take 3000$ after paying 70$ for connecting my account to the portal system of the community and that I must pay the fee so that it will be reflected on my account.
Is this in voice Is produced from Appen?
Hi Nasseem, this sounds like a scam, someone pretending to be from Appen. Appen won’t use a Yahoo email for official company business.
Will I be able to delete my account or “quit” if I’m not really feeling the job anymore?
Very useful, thanks. I am considering signing up but I was having concerns (for instance the need to have an account in Payoneer with a 30€ upfront payment when in Europe we use PayPal which has no cost associated, some small print in their contract stating you could have gains or loses (?), etc.).
I am hesitant about the smartphone verification part of the application. I worry if, during this process, spyware or something like that could be uploaded to my phone. Does anybody have an idea?
<70 USD for ten months of recurring rechecks…and multiple issues with multiple batches and sessions
Appen China is legalized SCAMMERS, I’ve been working at project “BRYANT TX – ITA” the compensation advertised to be $7-8/hour, once passed through tests and training, members were “friendly” requested to work at least 4-5 hours daily, after one month completed, thousand of tasks completed, the compensation were below $70, which is OUTRAGEOUS and RIDICULOUS, they keep advertising at APPEN 9 CINA compensations to be $USD7-8/hour sometimes $15/hour and up to $USD70-93 and keep hiring and luring new people from all over the world, because they know their projects are voluminous and 99% of team members find out the fraud and leave after one month, however they get paid by the client for the job done.
This APPEN CHINA is crap, they are using the good reputation of the original APPEN Australia, luring and scamming people in large scale. Stay away!
thank for sharing, I agree, I got the same situation, but from Appen. Untrustful.
Thank you for the detailed information in your blog . It’s very interesting and gives a good idea to people interested in working online.
Hi Jay,
Thanks for this great info. I’m from Iraq and received an offer from Appen; when filling out the form, I could not Iraq in the Country box but still got the offer. I emailed Appen about this (Iraq not found in the country box) and have not received a reply and still received the offer once again. How to deal with this case?
That’s interesting. Did you receive the offer directly from Appen or was it from a job board, Facebook or some other third party website?
Are there any good jobs online? I sadly have to find a job online because of my living situation, if anyone has information about good home jobs please let me know.
I got a job opportunity on of a FB add. Claiming it would pay $30/hr and they pay $20/hr to train you. The next step was to download whatapp and I was sent a link then was told to enter a code and was directed to Kerri Renolds. I was asked my name address and phone and email, they also want a copy of my DL and S.S. Is this legit or a scam?
Hi Chrisellda, that sounds like someone pretending to be from Appen. A lot of scammers pretend to be from legit companies for credibility, but if they don’t have an official email or communicate on the official platform, you should not trust them. If you are in doubt you can always contact Appen directly and ask if this is a real person but unless something has changed, Appen will not ask you to communicate on Whatsapp.
Same scenario here except it’s the signal app. They said I was hired and want my phone provider password and username. I’m upset… I thought I was doing an interview all day today.. going back and fourth.
same scenario here to and same Signal app. Claiming to be Mark Brayan who is the CEO of Appen. I dont think the CEO is going around hiring random people through an app.
I even showed him some of these comments, and hes like yeah thats why I use Signal app because Whatsapp isnt safe lol ok man.
Do not do any of the voice recognition projects on your app. They ALWAYS reject them due to background noise, even if there is not any. Not worth your time and money. Just do surveys, and in office tasks, where they pay you properly.
And guess what? They probably use your data anyways. Unethical and immoral company. I just completed tasks in the wing project and another project. I would say that I perform them almost flawlessly. I have not been paid. It has been something like 3 weeks. I have talked to about five different customer service Representatives
hey
I need your help seems you know better Appen
please help with your contact
Hi Jay, this article seems really interesting. Thx for your explanations. I was wondering if Appen is available and suitable for me. PS I’m in Africa. I thought maybe I could capitalize my time online while Coronavirus is out there.
Any advice is welcome.
Thx for ur future answer.
Hi Axel, great question. There may be some restrictions depending on which country in Africa you’re from. You’ll also need access to PayPal and I know PayPal has some limitations as well based on local laws and policies. The best thing is to contact Appen directly or apply on their Jobs Page HERE
Helpful, thanks.
This Jay guy is here since 2018.
I really appreciate it but at the same time I am like "how can anybody be so helpful?
Appen is a SCAM. Legal scam. Run away from this company ! Low wages,
Appen is not a scam, but it's definitely a waste of time which could be better spent looking into short contracts or interim. Here's my story :
I was contacted by Appen because I was a Breton speaker and was told there was work to be done in Breton-English/French machine translation. I was like "eh, why not", so I created my account, signed whatever I was required to sign, and subscribed to the aforementioned projects. That was about a year ago. I have yet to review a single translation on those projects. I then attempted to join a few other projects, and the only time something actually happened was for the Arrow project where I was required to do a lot of training, spending a few hours in training until I was brutally cut off tasks and nothing happened afterwards, so I basically worked for… free ?
So I guess that's the end of me collaborating with them. As for you who is reading this, heed my advice. This is not scam, sure, but it's really, really not worth your time, as well in time invested than money gained.
On an unrelated note, I find the thought pattern behind quality control to be totally idiotic. Basically it's saying : "We want machines to be more humanlike, but if you, human reviewer, don't act the way we expect you to, then you are unfit for machine training." See what I mean ? They want machines to be trained to become more humanlike, but only within accepted parameters.
With them back in 2016. The tasks were tedious and time-consuming. The pay was low. I did get paid though. I am with them now in 2022 and I have not been paid for my work. So I would say this company is partially a scam
So I am writing because I responded to a face book post from someone named Dezirae Nikole, regarding a job opportunity that would offer me $25 dollars an hour and $15 an hour for training. I immediately was sent to my instant messages. There she told me to go to google hangout and start a new conversation with the hiring supervisor online. There was a link appenics.interview47@gmail.com interview code H35FRR. I proceeded to do so where I was interviewed by a gentleman named Mark Brayan CEO Hiring Manager. He asked me a series of questions, what is my phone provider, do I have a bank, do I pay my phone bill prepaid or post pay. I did not think much of this because I was very vague in answering these questions. Then he told me I was hired and asked me to give him my drivers license in which I did take a picture of the front and the back. He then told me my job duties, and that they would be sending me a Apple laptop 2021 and some other stuff. Something about some third party crap to send to my bank and such and they would send me my WW4 to fill out then as well. All this while Iam thinking this sounds pretty legit. I had done some research and most places on the internet say it is a legit place. This guy even sent me a picture of his badge stating Mark Brayan hiring manager. Then he asked me for my bank information and I just did not feel handing this out to him. I never did give it to him and I am just wondering if he someone that works for your company or not? Can you please tell me if this a legit for your company or did I almost get scammed?
Hi Candy, thanks for your comment and question. Your interview was definitely a scam I’m sorry to say. I hate to be the messenger of bad news.
To be clear… you’re right, Appen is legit. But this person is not from Appen. The way in which you were approached is a scam. Appen will not contact you using a Gmail account, nor will they interview you on Google Hangouts outside of official Appen channels. They also don’t provide new Apple laptops to remote workers, you must have your own equipment. Scammers use “incentives” like this, as well as high pay rates like $25/hr to get people excited and turn over their personal information, which is the case here. But it’s not true. Again, my apologies. This person does not work for Appen though, or have anything to do with Appen.
This happened to me exactly the same way but it was a post from a Desiree Reyes
Hi Candy, I am a victim of this same scenario, except the hiring manager’s name is different. But I did give him my bank routing number and account number. Then he wanted a credit card to send me the funds to purchase the equipment I would need to perform the job. I don’t have a credit card but suggested my PayPal cash card. So I gave him my sign on information plus copies of my PayPal cash card. I wouldn’t give him my sign on info for my bank account. The last straw was today when he told me to go buy an American Express gift card ($100.00) and send him copies of back & front. Which I did. Then told me I needed to go buy 2 more just like the first one and this was to purchase a time tracker to track my work hours. That’s when I told him I couldn’t do that, and he assured me that I was going to get reimbursed Monday. I feel like an idiot for letting it go as long as I did. I asked him to send me proof of what he spent the first gift card funds on, but he said he didn’t have it. And it goes on and on, but I think he finally got the message to quit asking me for more gift cards and personal information. I told him to send me information from the company showing me proof that he was legit and I was actually being hired and everything he had told me was true. He told me that I would be getting an email from the company explaining everything. That hasn’t happened.
I wonder why anyone would fall by giving so much personal information to strangers posing like official agents.
Good thing I just read this! This guy must still be trying to scam people, because I got the exact same thing. A girl saying This is an online and work from home job the working hours are flexible and you can chose to work from anywhere of your choice,the pay is $25.50 per hour,Training is $15 per hour and you will be getting paid weekly.
You can work a week
Maximum-30hrs
Minimum – 15HRS. then directed me to download telegram and this same guy Mark Brayan is who I was to contact. He hasn’t got far enough to ask me any personal questions yet. After reading this I’m deleting this app because I know he’s a scammer. So thankful I seen this!
I did the exact same thing but I did give him my bank info. They paid my cc with ach payments and one was being held. I could only get one 500 gift card. Then I was suppose to get like 3 more but my card would go thru. I sent mark bryan the front and back. They were telling me I needed to do that so I can get equipment they were threatening me with the FBI. Idk but after reading this I m glad I’m not getting the other cards and deleted the telegram app. On top the chick referred me blocked me or something can get ahold of her now .. but she just said it’s 100% legit and I need to trust her
I have been contacted from a whatsapp # 409-719-0317
They ask for banking info including username and password first indications. Also sent pic of badge with the name Kerri Reynolds
Hi Caren, I would definitely NOT share your banking information with anyone, and any correspondence with Appen outside of their official channels is suspect. I would contact Appen directly and verify everything before proceeding, or even communicating further with anyone on any platform that doesn’t use a verified Appen email.
I do not recommend Appen for freelancing. They tell you that every week there will be an invoice for the work you have completed. I have done six surveys and a voice recording project a month ago. I should have been paid about $30 for everything. When I email Appen they just give me a non-sensical answer and I keep writing without any result. There is no contact for any project or issue. I stopped doing work for them because I know I will never get paid.
Do you ever get paid Julie?
I have received this email, the person has a golden account on LinkedIn and seems legit. Here's the email I got from him, what do you think?
Good day Yanos!
This is Angelo, Crowd Sourcing Associate from Appen. We have a work from home opportunity that you might be interested in. Do you speak French and interested to earn extra income? We want you for our search evaluation project.
Would you like to assess whether social media posts contain content which can be considered as clickbait? This is the project for you!
Requirements:
• Microsoft Windows (Windows 7 or above) or MAC operating system (not a tablet)
• Strong written and spoken French language skills
• Qualification will require a commitment of approximately 2 hours.
Want to get started today? Please create an account to our platform to start your qualification for the project:
1. Visit the Appen using the link below:
https://connect.appen.com/qrp/public/jobs?sref=f684a1fbb1432ddd778e39f830ac4eff
• Choose FRENCH as your primary language and MOROCCO as your dialect.
• Complete the registration page and click the submit application button to create your account.
IMPORTANT NOTE:
• Other details of the project such as specific task, payrate, project duration etc., will be given to you by the project management team upon registration and after successfully passing the project initial screening.
• Please disregard this message if you are already registered on our platform.
Thank you and we hope to work with you soon!
Best Regards,
Angelo Gujilde
Crowd Sourcing Associate | Appen
A diverse, inclusive culture is vital to our mission of helping build better AI. We offer opportunities for individuals of all abilities and backgrounds. Learn More: https://appen.com/
Hi Yanos, the links to Appen’s platform seem legit and it’s possible the person reaching out is legit as well. I’d just be cautious if anyone tries to move communication off the platform at some point along the way, reaching out from outside Appen using Google Hangouts or gmails just as examples.
don't lie to us, Jay.
You work for Appen, don't you?
No, I am not affiliated with Appen.
Hi thanks for your review. Now I wanna ask. I receive emails from official Appen email. And the guide ask me to use my own money first to purchase software, app or products from online store. It said that they will pay back means I can claim back the money I spend for completing their task. I want to know if it is real or not? Will they really pay me back for all the money that I've spent to complete their tasks?
I haven’t heard of them asking you to buy specific software unless things have changed. It depends on the software they were requesting and what online store they are referring you to. It sounds a little shady to me but if it’s from an official Appen email it might be legit. Usually, companies that require third party software will buy a license and provide it to their contractors as needed. When I hire freelancers and have a unique request, that’s usually what I’ll do unless they already have access to the software. I would definitely be skeptical of this request though.
I am satisfied with you review about Appen.I tried to register there only today, but a form named consent form forced me to stop.As there was e. signatures were required.I just want to know that is it safe to go further?And please tell me if I bound for some terms and conditions by signing the form.Thanks and regards
Hi Baljeet, thanks for reaching out. Make sure your correspondence is through Appen’s official email (NOT a gmail, hotmail, etc). As far as terms and conditions with regards to the current form, my apologies, I can’t speak specifically to those as I’m not familiar with the form (and not legally qualified to make recommendations in that regard).
a) Lots and lots of assessments – but you will never get paid (that is a guarantee) b) They will never pay you. They will never train you. They are offering "ghost opportunities" when their company is a shell-company that has no funding.Aug 23, 2017
Appen is a SCAM – Run away while you still can! – Glassdoor
Hi Ana, thanks for sharing. Here’s a link to that review you’re referencing https://www.glassdoor.co.in/Reviews/Employee-Review-Appen-RVW16489545.htm
I can’t speak to this person’s experience, but I do question why they’d work full-time for Appen for more than 5 years (as they state in their review) if what they say about not getting paid is true? Again, not to argue for or against their claim, it just seems contradictory is all.
I signed up to work for Appen less than a year ago. I have earned a total of 28.15 USD, out of which I lost 9 USD to Payoneer in order to be allowed to transfer that money to my bank account.
I clicked on almost everything I could, but the volume of work was so low. I would do a task that would take 30 to 45 min. and would get around 9 $ (before transfer fees), but then I'd wait another 2 months for more work. The one task that offered such a good volume required taking a lengthy test requiring many hours of unpaid work practising with the platform.
I decided screw that, spoke with Payoneer which did a one-time exception to allowing me to transfer my money (believe it or not, anything I make under 50 $ cannot be transferred to your bank account) and shut down the account.
So is it a scam? No. Is it a way to make anything more than a few bucks here or there? Nope!
Hello Jay,
I saw an ad in facebook it says urgently needed for data entry clerk. I messaged the person and I was told that I need to download Hangouts. They did the text interview in Hangouts and I was told that the company is Appen. When I asked about the pay they said it's direct deposit and they are asking about what kind of bank I have and for how long. Then they asked for banking info and my username and password. Thats qhen I realized that this is a scam.
Thanks for sharing your experience May. Definitely a scam and glad you were able recognize it. Your insight will definitely help someone else who gets approached with the same scam, it’s much appreciated 🙂
I just signed up for appen microtasks, but everytime i check for a vailable opportunities it says "no matching recods". How long does it take to start geting tasks to work on?
Hi,
Would it be […] my an APPEN contracted?
My friend forwarded me the info she saw on fb, and I messenger the person on messenger. She sent me interview by text info, to download Telegram to communicate with APPEN. She said she was told she needed to have right equipment too when I told her what you found out, but said she was provided equipment. The weird thing when I asked was about pay, she said by direct deposit or she gets a check emailed prints it and cashes. She said it's al legitimate business. When I asked her how I know shes legit as I want assurance, I stopped hearing back.
I just want a legitimate pt home base job.
Hi Jenny, I would contact Appen directly. Anything outside of their official channel of communication is likely a scam, and this is true for most companies that provide remote jobs. They are a big target for scammers. You definitely did the right thing by asking follow up questions and proof that she’s legit.
You can apply for a job at Appen at the company's website. For the work-at-home jobs, communication is through email. They do not interview you for Search Engine Evaluator or similar jobs. You're sent information about how to prepare for the exam. In order to be hired, you have to pass the exams. All communication is through email from an official Appen email address – @appen.com.
I work with Appen and none of that is true. I enjoy the work, have my own equipment and they pay me regularly with a payoneer account. Appen is very legit. It does take a while to catch on to the systems and the tasks but it is a fun way to make some extra cash.
Patti… i'm on WhatsApp with a lady named Kerri Reynolds… she claims to be HR at Appen. She promises to be legit yet is asking for my username and password to my verizon account… why would they be doing this?
Hi jay, please could you help me throw more lights on the Swagbucks and how do I
register or sign up for Swagbucks?
I am more interested in that swagbucks.
Hope to hear from you soon.
Thanks.
Hi Prince, you may find this helpful 🙂
https://gighustlers.com/swagbucks-review-a-scam-or-legit/
I have been contacted by someone using appen11100@gmail.com
Is this fraudulent?
I think so. I wouldn’t correspond with anyone claiming to be from Appen unless they were using their verified @appen.com or @connect-mail.appen.com email address.
My is getting contacted by a Micheal buckingham stating that my wife needs to send him money for the equipment she is suppose to be getting from the manufacturer to do up grades and I read in your article that appen don't do this so is she getting scammed
Definitely do NOT send money. Just to review Appen’s official statement for anyone who may have missed it above:
“Appen recruiting will only contact candidates with a verified @appen.com or @connect-mail.appen.com email address and will never ask them for money or gift cards. There is no charge to join Appen. We encourage you to report any messages you receive from unverified accounts as fraud and discontinue the conversation. If you’d like to read more about safety tips for your job search, please visit the Life at Appen blog.”
Please am in Nigeria, I would love to work with Appen.
Please give me a chance if Nigeria is one of your accessing countries, thanks
Why would we want to contribute to make computers more human-like? Are we also contributing to making terminators? Elon Musk wants to start putting computers in our brains so we can compete with the exponentially, knowledge growing computers. Will we have AI robots walking around with us ‘humans’, working our jobs, being our slaves, and they will demand equality? I would rather not contribute and instead focus on the environment. Get outside and enjoy nature!
You make a great point Chrissy. I don’t disagree.
That is wonderful! I am so happy for you! great information on How to earn from Appen $1000 per month Thank you
I got a credit alrt saying thatmy email was compromised andmt password was exposed. it lited appen.com as the culprit what kind of company is this that you operate on the dark web and are looking for peoples email passwords?
I know I have completed all the transcriptions question 100 percent correct as i have perfect communication skills but they just took away saying that you might fail or not completed within the timeline as i have competed to fast, WTF is this.
After reading all these I turned down to sign the Data Processing Addendum of one of its projects (Concho) and all in a sudden I got logged out from the system,
When I tried to log back in, ACCESS DENIED.
THEY JUST CANCELLED MY ACCOUNT THERE.
WOW. Bravo. Glad I press that button.
I am new and would love to know where do they deposit tour money if you are not from the Usa. Are you able to get it into a PayPal account?
Appen is a great place to work with. One of the best remote work from company. I earn couple of dollars part time.
Hello Jay
first of all, I would express my thanks for your useful article, giving priority for comments and reply it,
i registered for a project with Appen and I had this message in the task :
“Placeholder text. Edit this page and add instructions for acquiring tasks in this project, including any preparatory steps needed prior to working.”
i went to the application and after access and agree for terms the project page appears empty, and there is option only to sign out,
can you explain to me please how to start my first task
all the best and thanks in advance
Hi Waseem, thanks for reaching out and great question. I apologize, although I do keep in touch with Appen from time to time, we are not affiliate with them or their system. You would have to contact their support directly so they could look into it for you. Sounds like a technical issue possibly. I hope they are able to solve this for you.
I am currently working on an Appen project and, in my opinion, this article misses the main point.
Ok, Appen is not a scam. Yes, the pay is bad. It’s a pain the butt to sign out, sign in, reconfigure the browser (required EVERY time you log in.) But that’s not the worst of it. TASKS ARE NOT ALWAYS AVAILABLE:
I spent 15 unpaid hours training for the ‘Arrow’ project. Why? Because it says right on the project page: “$250 hiring bonus payout opportunity for new raters who qualify!” This was the entire reason I started.
To qualify, you have to put in a minimum number of hours per week (varies depending on location) as well as meet all rather demanding quality tests and production standards. Fine. So I would get up early, take time off at lunch, before going to bed, etc., and prepare myself for a couple of hours of work each day. Surely I could reach the minimum with this work ethic?
No way. Not even close. Because I sit down at the computer and there are no tasks available, no work to be done. Not in the morning, not in the afternoon, not at night. As a consequence, I am stuck at the computer all day, signing in and signing out, hoping for a few tasks to add 5 minutes to my bill.
At first this was not a problem. But suddenly, three days ago, when I was getting close to my goal, the tasks stopped appearing. Logging in and out at all times of the day and night made no difference. I am stuck at about 5 hours under my objective. And tomorrow is the deadline.
In my opinion, this is not coincidental. It is extremely clever (though evil) of them to run things this way. They get cheap labor for a week or two and then they stop the flow of work,. You fall under your production level due to no fault of your own. Then they apply their caveat: “You must continue to meet all production and quality standards to receive compensation, and remain active on Arrow.” So they can use your low production level as an excuse let you go, hire someone else, and no bonus payout.
There are other projects available on Appen but they all have similar catches. If you’re not fast enough, if you’re not accurate enough, if you are just plain out of luck, your work is not registered and you don’t get paid.
It’s a kind of 21st century slavery, chained to the computer, minimal pay, no flexibility, no rights. You are free to leave, of course, but you will go far more jaded than when you came in,.
Just a few words from someone with experience. Good luck.
Hi John, thanks for reaching out and sharing your insight. Something similar is happening across the entire work at home industry at the moment, not only Appen. With the current virus situation and everyone at home, these work at home companies are getting overwhelmed with applicants. However, at the same time their clients (the businesses who are providing the work) are struggling as well and in some cases shut down. As a result, we’re seeing more people online looking for work, but less work available to go around.
What’s worse is that much of the work that supports the “at-home” gig economy (like transcription, marketing, user testing etc.) is work that companies can comfortably put off until their economies start coming back online, which is hopefully sooner rather than later (but at the moment it’s not looking too good). They have bigger concerns right now like paying rent unfortunately. I definitely understand your frustration though and again, it’s not only Appen. Like most industries, the work at home industry is really struggling too.
Thanks again for you feedback and sharing your experience,
Jay
This also is very helpful. I found the article not critical enough.
Hi Jay, I received an email from Appen see below details:
Dear Obenjie Obena,
Congratulations on qualifying for your first project!!
We would like to offer you an Independent Agent contract at this time.
To complete the next step of the qualification process, please login to our website to review and sign the Master Service Agreement here: https://connect.appen.com/qrp/core/login
It is important that you carefully read and understand the document before signing it.
Qualification Steps:
————————-
* COMPLETED – Complete online qualification information
* COMPLETED – Basic qualification package to be reviewed by Appen Ltd.
* COMPLETED – Complete online document signing
* COMPLETED – Qualify for your first project
* IN PROGRESS – Final Paperwork
* Begin work!
After signing the contract, another email from Appen, see below:
Dear Obenjie Obena,
Thank you for completing the required forms. Your documents have been received, and after we review them, we will finalize your registration.
A follow-up email will be sent if we notice any discrepancies in your paperwork.
Best Regards,
The Appen team
Questions: All those statements are legit? If so, usually how many days Appen to response my email to start the job?
Thanks for your kind inputs.
Obenjie
hi, i got the same. My papers have been in review for like 1 or 2 weeks now for the 1st task i apparently qualify for… so go figure how long does this take them. So annoying. They also have no email address to contact them
Thanks for this article now my all doughts clear.
Hello,
I have signed up with Appen and received this email.
Hi,
Thank you for applying for projects with Appen Connect! In order for us to proceed, we must confirm that your profile matches your full Legal Name.
Please reply to this ticket with the exact name as it appears on your official government identification document or Social Security Card in English Format.
First Name:_________________
Last Name: _________________
In addition to that, kindly confirm your complete current address so we can verify with your existing profile with us and make necessary updates to your account information.
Address:_________
City:______
State/Province:______
Country:_______
ZIP/Postal code:________
We are not able to proceed with your application process until we receive a response as we must ensure the signed contract name and address match exactly to your Legal Name.
Kind Regards,
Your support team
Is this legit?
the email is from : support@connect-mail.appen.com
Hi Carl, thanks for reaching out. Support@connect-mail.com is a legit email address. Appen’s official statement on this is…
“Appen recruiting will only contact candidates with a verified @appen.com or @connect-mail.appen.com email address and will never ask them for money or gift cards. There is no charge to join Appen. We encourage you to report any messages you receive from unverified accounts as fraud and discontinue the conversation. If you’d like to read more about safety tips for your job search, please visit the Life at Appen blog.”
I’ve also spoken to Appen directly to confirm the website https://connect.appen.com is also their’s and it is legit as well.
Please let me know if you have further questions 🙂
I just registered for Appen. I hope I can be accepted since I really need some extra money. Thank you for the information.
Happy to help, wishing the best getting accepted 🙂
I agree that the official Appen company is legit. However, their policy toward payment for work done leaves a bad taste in your mouth.
I am new to Appen. I did one short survey that took me about 10 minutes and got paid $5.00 USD.
My 2nd project was to submit 18 one minute videos with some guidelines. I cannot reveal the details of the project because of the non-disclosure agreement with Appen. To make long story short, I submitted the required 18 videos several days before the deadline. However, about a week later I received an email from Appen stating that I will not be paid for the project because 3 of the 18 videoes were rejected. In the same email, they said that I was notified prior to the deadline of the rejected videos but I had not made any resubmittal prior to the deadline, according to them.
I never received any emails asking me to re-submit any videos nor was I notified, prior to the deadline, that some of my videos were rejected.
All of that seems rather suspicious. So, I don’t get paid for the 15 videos that were good? Also, They never explained why the 3 videos were rejected. Did they make money off of my videos but didn’t want to pay me?
Like I said before, Appen is not a scam, but this type of tactic left a very bad taste in my mouth.
Thanks for sharing your experience and insight. I apologize however, I can’t speak for Appen or any particular situation but what I can say is they’ve always been above board with me, and my dealings with Appen have been positive. Is it possible correspondence was missed or their email ended up in the spam folder by chance? Again, I can’t speak to this particular situation but I do know mistakes get made (every company I’ve ever worked for has made mistakes… and in some cases, I’m the one who made them) and based on my experience with Appen I’d lean more towards it being an error rather than something deceptive going on (in my opinion at least). But I do understand your frustrations though.
Thanks again for reaching out and sharing and my apologies I don’t further insight into this.
Hi there Jay,
I can honestly say that rates per hour are a huge strange thing on Appen.
First of all, are you living in Asia? Don’t be surprised to see jobs for like 1 up to 3 USD per hour maximum! Same jobs, but located in Europe: 12 – 17 USD per hour.
To be honest, the rates are “ok” for now. It’s low, but good enough as extra in my eyes. As a freelancer, in 2021 the minimum for a Dutch needs to be 16 EURO, so they already need to make the minimum for Dutch people to more or less 18 USD (or they will get sued by the Dutch TAX!).
That being said, it all looked pretty good for me. Many things could be done quite fast. I did get some jobs. Over a year or 2 years ago I had my first Appen task. But after like 2 tasks this year, I saw that my profile is not like how it should be. On e-mails they do not reply fast, it’s really slow! Since you should reply in 24 hours, I did send several e-mails in a nice and polite way (done customer care over 10 years, so know how to speak to other customer care agents). I receive an e-mail back that I should not send so many e-mails! I only want the money I earned, but they do not come up with solutions to activate my profile.
The `activiation pool´ takes already like 2 weeks and they do not give any updates.
I understand the frustration of several people in reviews. I totally do.
But, if we are talking about working online, I never work with one company only. I work with for sure 4 companies until 2 give me enough income for a long time period.
I don’t agree what Mary Phillips is saying about “lower costs when you work at home”. If you work at home, you have the full right to get a good income. If you know for what amounts these kinda things are being contracted from with the companies who are the real customers …..
Please Jay did you agree to all those terms and conditions agreement with appen before u start working as their contractor. I am at the final stage of Appen contractor. There is a lot of data legal binding words that I don’t even understand .I keep getting redirected to pages asking me o either agree or disagree with the legal agreement .the terms and conditions seems scary I mean what do they want in summary.
Hi Omobola, these are great questions. What I can say is that Appen is legit and that I haven’t heard of any legal issues arising (aside from the fake scammers who have impersonated Appen illegally as well as impersonating other companies that provide remote jobs). With that said though, I am not a lawyer. I really wish I could provide a comprehensive breakdown of their terms and conditions from a legal perspective, but I’m not qualified to do so. It would be ethically (and legally) irresponsible for me to provide that kind of advice. My apologies, I know that’s not the answer you were hoping for but I do sympathize with your situation. I have quite a few online partnerships as well, and I’m always hesitant and nervous when I agree to any terms and conditions. The only thing I can really say is to make sure you read through them thoroughly (and it sounds like you have) and make the decision you feel most comfortable with. It might even be a good idea to seek a legal opinion if that option is available to you.
Thank you for reaching out though and again, my sincerest apologies that I’m not able to be more helpful regarding these matters.
Hi Jay,
I am also at the final stage as Omobola and wondering whether to sign this agreement because of scary conditions she mentions. (pls see my post from 20th November further down)
I understood you worked for them, so I assume you should have signed that same contractor’s agreement entitled “Master Services Agreement”. I would like to know whether you found any scary conditions in it but nonetheless signed it. Could you please clarify that point. Or maybe the conditions have changed in the meantime and have become more strict?
Thanks in advance
Dubi
Hi Dubi, thanks for reaching out and my apologies. I must have overlooked your previous comment. I do keep in touch with Appen from time to time but as I had mentioned to Omobola, I’m out of my depth when it comes to legal matters, particularly when it comes to recommending or even suggesting any contract, terms or conditions are safe to sign. In the majority of cases, it’s my opinion that companies include ominous conditions simply to protect themselves from unseen liabilities that may occur in rare occurrences, rather than for any dubious or exploitative purpose.
But again, this is just a general statement overall based on my opinion as it’s not ethically or legally appropriate for me to suggest it’s safe for someone to sign anything (even if the implication is based on my own experience or someone else’s).
And it’s true as you mentioned that contracts, terms and conditions are regularly updated, usually because one of those unseen liabilities caused an issue and forced them to add a new condition. Coming from a management background, one of our “matras” so to speak was that “people dictate policy”. There were always policies and procedures seen as arbitrary and unnecessary to new staff but without fail, we could point to a specific instance that required us to modify or create new policies and procedures to address that issue if (or when) it happened again in the future.
My apologies again, as I had stated previously to Omobola, I know my comments are not very helpful or comforting. Not being legally qualified in this area though it wouldn’t be fair for me to suggest otherwise.
I really do appreciate all of your insight and care you’ve taken to clarify this for yourself, and for others. These Q&A’s provide valuable information for other’s seeking information as well.
Kindest Regards,
Jay
Hi Omobola,
I have the same problem as you; I am beginning to think that the MS Agreement offered to us for signing is false, eg. elaborated on the basis of the original.
What makes me thing so? I found online a version of the MSA greement from 2014 which might be original and which does not contain those scary conditions.
However, I am aware that agreement’s texts change from time to time; but still…. do they change in this way?
Hi! I just finished the qualification steps for a particular project with Appen, and got an email saying:
“Thank you for completing the required forms. Your documents have been received, and after we review them, we will finalize your registration.
A follow-up email will be sent if we notice any discrepancies in your paperwork.
Best Regards,
The Appen team”
I just wanna ask, how long does this process usually takes?
I am also waiting in this step.. how long does it take?
Hi, It took me 6 days before I get another email.
Hi Jay,
I find this site to be extremely helpful. I have a question on earning money, have you – or anyone else – been able to make between$200 – $500 USD a month using Appen. That’s my goal but right now the tasks available don’t add up to that. It’s possible that the tasks differ per month and some months have better opportunities than others but not sure.
Thanks for your reply.
Hi Zammy, thanks for reaching out and great question. I personally haven’t, but I haven’t tried either. My income comes from a few other sources online and in my particular situation, it wouldn’t be a good use of my time. That does NOT mean it’s not good for many people though or that it’s not a good use of time, it’s just that my current schedule keeps me busy elsewhere. Having said that, it’s a great question for the community and there may be some others here who can provide specific insight as to potential earnings. I would agree though, that available tasks will differ from month to month.
Jay
Hi Jay,
I received an email from agent-qualification@connect-mail.appen.com asking me to complete a document signing (which I just did) and after that it showed below message:
“Your account is not yet active. Once you have fully qualified for at least one of the projects below, we will be able to work toward activating your account.”
One of the projects I saw is:
MicroNoyo
IMPORTANT NOTE: This project is only a one-time survey task and not a long-term project, thus, this project does not require a daily task. However, you may be invited again to take the survey after 42 days.
This project seeks to improve search results in Facebook Search. Participation in this project requires answering some questions about particular searches you have made on Facebook and providing access to your Facebook profile in order to recreate those search experiences. Participation in this project is entirely voluntary and you can stop at any time.
>> I am a newbie and I’m not sure if this is project is legit as it states I need to provide access to my Facebook profile. It’s giving me a red flag though.
Hi Carina, if this task originated from a proper Appen contact/email (and the email you provided is one of theirs) it would be a legit task, but with many online tasks of this nature, only you can decide the level of privacy you are comfortable giving access to. Sites like Appen who rely on human input to help improve artificial intelligence (and market research companies for example) in most cases collect this data anonymously but it’s true, there is always a path back to the individual if someone wanted exploit it.
I can’t make a specific recommendation because privacy is such a personal subject, but I do think we’re approaching a red-line where all of us are going to have to take a step back and ask if our always connected lifestyles were a good idea. It’s not just the companies we give Facebook access to (most now have an option to login with your Facebook account rather than creating a unique login), but it’s Facebook itself that has access to our private information. We have smart devices and digital “assistants” like Alexa that are literally recording us in our homes. But I’m starting to rant, lol. That’s a topic for an entirely different post.
As far as this particular task, I would defer to Appen’s statement that participation is entirely voluntary. If you are not comfortable with it, that’s absolutely understandable and it doesn’t hurt to wait for an available task you are comfortable with.
Hi any other companies who hire work from home professionals in india and are Legit ?
Hi Jay,
Thanks for sharing your thoughts about Appen. ????
Is this the correct Appen site? https://connect.appen.com/
Also, I got an email from agent-qualification@connect-mail.appen.com
Body of email below —
Congratulations on qualifying for your first project!!
We would like to offer you an Independent Agent contract at this time.
To complete the next step of the qualification process, please login to our website to review and sign the Master Service Agreement here: https://connect.appen.com/qrp/core/login
It is important that you carefully read and understand the document before signing it.
Qualification Steps:
————————-
* COMPLETED – Complete online qualification information
* COMPLETED – Basic qualification package to be reviewed by Appen Butler Hill Pty Ltd.
* COMPLETED – Complete online document signing
* COMPLETED – Qualify for your first project
* IN PROGRESS – Final Paperwork
* Begin work!
————————-
Once you have completed the forms per the included instructions, we will then be able to work toward finalizing your contract.
We look forward to receiving your response!
Best Regards,
The Appen team
Do you think this is legit? Also once landed on their online signature site for the agreement and contract signing it says that the site is collecting my IP address. Is this normal? Sorry for giving you a lot of questions as I’m new in applying for homebased
/online job.
Thanks in advance!
Jane
Hi Jane, yes that is Appen’s official webpage and email. As far as collecting your IP address, this is also normal. Our IP addresses are always being tracked when we are online (no matter what website or social media platform we visit) and the only way to really prevent it is to not visit websites or use something called a VPN which redirects web traffic to make it appear as if you’re somewhere/someone else. This isn’t entirely safe either because some recent VPN companies have been caught capturing your personal information during this redirection process. But generally speaking, your IP address being collected by websites is not an issue.
Hope that helps 🙂
Jay
Ted Bundy in courtroom. – Ok Your Honor I killed those gals but other folks kill gals too!
That’s one way of putting it.
Another might be that there’s a difference between meeting people and remembering their names versus killing them. You can also go about your day wearing a mask and giving a fake name to everyone you interact with just in case they’re out to get you.
Generally speaking, most places you visit online which also include things like shopping, email and streaming services like Netflix and Spotify are not after your IP for some nefarious purpose.
I’m not saying that some aren’t though. There are definitely dangers online, I agree. And you can definitely try to hide online using a VPN, a browser like Tor and so on… but those are still installed on an operating system most likely owned by Google, Apple or Microsoft who may or may not be recording your every move online. Your best bet is to not go online at all.
Of course getting in a car is not 100% safe either, so…
Hi Jay,
some days ago I got the same mail from the official address as Jane and am at the same stage:
Qualification Steps:
————————-
* COMPLETED – Complete online qualification information
* COMPLETED – Basic qualification package to be reviewed by Appen Butler Hill Pty Ltd.
* COMPLETED – Complete online document signing
* COMPLETED – Qualify for your first project
* IN PROGRESS – Final Paperwork
* Begin work!
————————-
Once you have completed the forms per the included instructions, we will then be able to work toward finalizing your contract.
We look forward to receiving your response!”
Now I am offered a contract (Final Paperwork) which I am supposed to sign online.
and I have the same problem as
nesma
“nesma says
September 11, 2019 at 9:10 pm
hey, i get an e-mail from appen as a contractor they asked me to make an electronic signature on a contract, actually i didn’t get all the contract’ s points, so i hesitated about that , could you please help ?! thanks”
after I log in at https://connect.appen.com/qrp/core/login I get the document – master services agreement ( a long one with articles 1- 11.12) to sign.
I am worried about some stipulations that in case of material breach I should pay to the company up to ten thousand australian dollars and also attornys’ fees to the company.
Is such contract legitimate to sign? I I did not notice you answered to nesma
Can you please answer asap?
Thank you
dubi
Hi,
two days ago I sent a question about signing master services agreement sent to me by appen ( from official address) and referring to two other experiences ( Jane’s and Nesma’s).
However, it was not published, after persumable moderation; I wonder why.
Can you pls publish it – I would like to have an answer; it is very important to me;
If it needs modification in some aspect, which I have to do myself, pls let me know
agent-qualification@connect-mail.appen.com is this appen official email ?
Yes, that should be an official Appen email.
Hey there,
I recently applied for a work at home job at appen. They asked me to create a Payoneer account, where I had to give my bank account number (just bank account number, not the bank card number). Is this safe, does appen usually ask us to make a Payoneer account so that they can make payments to our bank accounts?
Hi Gilang, thanks for stopping by and for your question. Payoneer is a legit site yes. I’ve used them for a few companies I work with and although I don’t have enough experience with them to make a recommendation one way or other, the few times I have used them everything went smoothly. It’s not my preferred method to receive payments and I’m always hesitant when companies use online payment processors I’m not familiar with, so I definitely understand where you’re coming from. But again, my limited experience with them was positive.
Hi Jay, your review is very helpful about appen thank you very much.. So today i was applying for appen work from home job and after, my cv, moblie verification, smartphone verification and email verification they asked me about my passport detail, tax card details, licence and account no name and bank details.
Is it ok, should i go ahead. The website was https://appen.com/careers/.
Hi, when i was applying online for appen online job after mail ac, phone no and smartphone verification they asked me about my passport details, my tax card details and my licence detils with my account detail (may b not the password and username etc because i stopped right there and didn’t go to the next page)),.
Now my question is, Is it right that they are asking my personal documents detail, which shouldn’t be disclosed to anyone.???
Should i go further with the application process and give them the private details.???
Hi Kashi, no… it sounds like someone might be pretending to be from Appen to get your personal information. What is the contact the information they gave you? If they are not asking for your username, passwords etc, it might be legitimate as they need to verify your identity… but you definitely don’t want to give username or password access to anything.
Hi Jay, thank you for your reply. Can you please give me the correct webaddress of appen to apply for work from home job. I m in India.
If they are not asking my username or password then i should give them my passport license, and tax details.????
I have never applied on-line before that is why m bit scared.. Please suggest accordingly..
Hi Kashi, the official link to their site is https://appen.com/careers/
hey, i get an e-mail from appen as a contractor they asked me to make an electronic signature on a contract, actually i didn’t get all the contract’ s points, so i hesitated about that , could you please help ?! thanks
Hi Nesma, are you able to provide further details? Also, did you receive the contract from a verified Appen email… either @appen.com or @connect-mail.appen.com?
Just wondering if you get hired from appen do they ask for your bank account info including username and passwords?
Hi Kristy, great question. No, Appen will not ask you for your username and passwords. Some online companies will pay direct deposit and in that case they’ll need an account number, but definitely not your username and passwords. When an alternative payment method is available (PayPal for example) I find it better to go that route.
Hi,
I work in a company as full time employee. Am i allowed to register with Appen? I like to work on weekends maybe 4 to 5 hours a day. Do they accept such kind of applications. please help me to clear this, I like to earn some money through part time in Germany. Is it legitimate?
Thanks
Hi Kona, yes Appen is legit. You can apply at https://join.appen.com/jobsearch/
Hi. I got info from Face Book for work at home jobs from a lady name Kourtt Kay. She sent me info for a supervisor to email ( rschumacher671@gmailcom ) a code of SDC-0221. When I set up a gmail acct I emailed the code to the address and started chatting with a Robin Schumacher. I answered several questions and then she said she had to forward my answers to her company. Then she said I was approved by the company to do Data Entry from home. I needed several items to purchase ( laser printer, Iphone, fax machine, and several other things in which she said the company would put money on my credit card or direct deposit. And that the company offered FULL BENEFITS, paid time off, vacation pay, etc. I told her I didn’t think this was a good fit for me but appreciated er time and that I would have to look into the company and do some homework. She said she was not there to take from me. ANYWAY, My gut said NO, so I did not!
I REALLY need a legit work from home job!! 🙁
I personally made up to $2007 working for Appen being an Indian. I have been with Leapforce , now Appen since 2016.
We were paid $7/hr by Leapforce before. We old timers are still paid $7/hr. However, after acquring Leapforce, Appen has reduced the pay across all projects.
I work as a search engine evaluator aka Google Rater for them.
Sadly their name is being dragged in to this controversy by scammers. I reported them to Appen long long back.
They kind of didn’t take it seriously then.
Appen is legit.
So i had an interview with someone called samuel peters,
after answering a couple of questions for the role.
A couple of days later he proceeds to offer me the wrong role totally different from what I applied for,
after noting that to him..he finally then offers me a new role, and proceeds to send
long messages about paying $50 an hour and sending me equipment through a vendor.
It all seemed like a scam, from the interview via gmail hangouts then suddenly we will pay
you $50 an hour with benefits, and we will send you a machine..i just blocked him on google hangouts,
deleted the email he sent me and moved on..
also his email was onlinegr.gmail.com or something like that..
Hi Damian, thanks for sharing your experience. It definitely doesn’t sound right when someone is making “to-good-to-be-true” promises from their gmail account. I appreciate you taking the time here to comment as I’m sure your insight will be helpful for others.
Jay
I received a job offer from Appen from a lady on a work at home job site on Facebook. So I asked her for the company website she works for and she gave me this company’s name, I proceeded to ask her about my equipment that I would need and was told the equipment would be provided. As your website States applicants must provide own equipment. I have her name and messenger conversation if you would like it. Thank you
Hi Jodie, thanks for sharing. I would definitely send Appen that information using the contact form at Appen.com.
Jay
Why does appen ask for so many electronic signatures, I’ve afraid since I signed everything
Is appeninc.org a legitimate email for appen?
I received an email from kerri@appeninc.or
Thanks for any help on this
Hi Lori, great question. I’d be hesitant to trust any other email other than those mentioned in their official statement. When communicating with Kerri at this email I’d ask her for her official Appen email and if she doesn’t have one I’d avoid it.
Hi,
I had applied to Appen, last year. My application was accepted, and I was told I would be contacted once they had a project for me. Months went by, and I never heard anything…except I did receive the “application accepted” email again.
Then, in January 2019, I began receiving emails from Appen. Two made their way into my actual Inbox. These two emails say they are from dc.recruitment@appen.com and recruiting@appen.com The other emails were going into my Junk folder….from appen+email+1ztp7-4902a22dce@agents.icims.com and other @agents.icims.com and @talent.icims.com
Are these all legit emails? All of the emails come from the same person. I found her on LinkedIn, and it says she works for Appen as a Staffing Specialist. The contract looks legit. I haven’t received any emails or read in the contract anything that sounds sketchy (no one asking for bank information, being told I will be sent equipment if I provide my address, etc.)
I hope someone can help! Thanks!
I would go with Appen’s official statement, if it’s not an offical appen.com or connect-mail.appen.com email address I’d be hesitant to trust it. If you’ve been redirected to another email it wouldn’t hurt to contact them through their official email and confirm the legitimacy of any other correspondence. Hope that helps 🙂
Jay
Did any of you get his name? On my chat with him, it shows as Perry Jacob and the fool I was, did provide him with info with my banking (desperate I suppose). They attempted to deposit funds into my account which then froze my account. Upon calling my bank, they told me the source was from Montreal Quebec and the root of the scam is in Winnipeg Manitoba! And they advise that’s a very well known scam to them.
Hoping my hopes and stupidity helps guide others!
I was scammed over 1000. By someone named John Johnson who said they hired me for appen. I am disabled in a fixed income with 15 grandchildren to buy Christmas for and am screwed. I looked up the company and it said it was legit before proceeding. I am so heartbroken
Hi Mary, I’m so sorry to hear that. May I ask how this happened? It sounds like a scammer pretending to be from Appen because they don’t ask for money. If you have more details it would be helpful, but again, really sorry that happened. Scammers are constantly coming up with new ways to rip people off and it’s difficult to keep up with them.
I saw a social media post online yesterday saying work from home with Appen. 22.27 an hour. I was asked to PM for more info. So I did. The lady asked if I had Google hangouts to do a interview with the hiring manager. So she said she would give him my info for the interview. Within minutes I had a request. So we preceded to do the interview. He asked me all the normal questions. I answered. He told me about the position and ask me if it was something I was interested in. I of course said yes. So he told me to stay online while he got approval from HR. I waited about 10 minutes then he came back online and said they decided to offer me the job based on my experience. He said all the equipment would be supplied. Apple pc, printer, laminator, iPhone, fax machine, scanner. He said all the software would need to be purchased myself but they would send me the money up front. I was already skepticalbevsuse I had searched this guy’s name on LinkedIn and it said he was the CEO of Appen. What CEO actually does the interviews for a work from home data entry position. But again, I need a job so I’m still communicating with this guy. So then he tells me that the company also helps their employees build there credit by paying off their debt or wiping there bad credit clean. I was secretly praying this was legit. So then he told me all my equipment would be shipped out Monday and I would do 1 week of training with this guy the “CEO*. He asked that I put together a list of my debts and send it to him. I created a excel document with names of each debt and balance owed. I gave no account numbers. So move forward to today. He sent me a message asking how I was doing. Then asked if I had any open to buy on any of my credit cards. That’s when I freaked. I asked him to show me his drivers license and Appen I’d to prove he wasn’t scamming me. Then he got offended. He said he would never scam anyone. Life was too short and all he cared about was helping people and spending time with his wife, kids and grandkids. He then asked if I was still willing to work with them. I said yes, playing along. He then asked me to send pictures of each credit card. Say what! I told him if this was a real job that I would work for them but I didn’t need them to do anything with my credit debt. I would handle that myself. He said OK. I have transcripts of all conversations. I contacted the CEO of appen on Linkedin to ask him if he was one and the same. I’m still waiting on a response. His profile on LinkedIn says he li es in Sydney Australia and the guy I’m conversing with says he lives in Maryland. In between I contacted my person who posted about the job. They have to be working together because it sounded as if I was talking to the same person. I’m scared now cause I totally gave this guy my personal info. I totally think now that this is a big scam but we left it at he was shipping my equipment Monday. And would be sending me funds to purchase all the software. He asked what my daily deposit limit was. I told him 10000 but I would only accept funds thru PayPal until I had in hand a onboarding packet from Appen. He said OK.i said that because I knew next thing he was gonna ask for my routing numbers. I wasted 2 hours with this person and now I’m freaked out because what can he do with the info he does have. I was so hoping it was legit but seriously how could it be?
Wow, thank you Pamela for sharing… that’s quite the experience. If you can, please keep us updated on you situation but I agree, it’s definitely strange to be asking for so much personal information for any job, let alone an online job. I’m not really sure what’s going on here but something seems off. Thankfully you didn’t provide any account numbers. Also if you didn’t provide your credit card information either I’m not sure if there’s anything to be worried about. It’s hard to say though. If it’s legit there’s nothing to worry about but if it’s a scam, it’s an elaborate one and I’m curious is this is someone who does this using just the names of companies like Appen, of it’s actually Appen. [UPDATE: This is not actually Appen but rather someone pretending to be from Appen. Please read Appen’s official statement I’ve added above to the article]
Thanks again for sharing, maybe there are others out there with a similar experience.
Jay
What was the outcome? I’m having the exact experience as we speak.
I also just had this same experience today. I told him he was by no means getting my credit card number. He said that is how they were going to pay me for my time worked and assured me that he was not a scammer… Isn’t that what they all say?!?!?! But he has my phone number and address… I too am a little concerned with what he could be doing with my info…
This just happened to me except he claims they need my login and password to my credit card account. They must think I’m dumb! I told them that some of the claims he was making goes against what it says on the actual website and that it was a red flag. I said I have no problem paying for purchases myself but I will be doing research which I’m really good at. Immediately I put an alert on my account. I didn’t give them any routing numbers or credit card numbers or anything but I’m worried about what they can do with the information they actually have.
That is a scam ! And they are not from Appen trust me. Appen do not hire via Google Hangouts. They do not ask for your personal details.
You need to go to the official website of Appen to apply to them. You won’t be asked any such details.
I am working as an active search engine evaluator with Appen. We used to be with Leapforce before. Appen acquired Leapforce and rebranded it as Appen Connect.
All the work from home jobs via Appen Connect now. Do not EVER EVER pay anything or give out any details to such scammers.
This Google Hangout scammers were first pretending to be from Leapforce. That’s why I wrote an article about it long long back. Type “Leapforce scam alert” in Google and you will see my post at the top of the Google search results.
Appen or Leapforce or any one is not scamming you. They are using the names of such companies to scam you.
And no company hires through Google Hangouts. Like none.
If you want to apply to Appen to work from home, you should type “Appen Connect” and go to their official website.
Don’t confuse Appen with Appen Connect. Appen is the parent company that acquired Leapforce and rebranded it as Appen Connect. All work from home opportunities are with Appen Connect now and they don’t need your personal details at all. Nada.
I just want to say please please please be careful. I went to jail and have a felony record now due to that same situation.
Omg!!! Went through the same thing today but never gave out my banking info! They said they could just ship all of my equipment to the AT&T store in my town! The girl that posted the job said “it is legit just give them your bank info” ummm no! I only spoke with this guy via google hangouts!
I’m in a local work from home group and what we discovered about the data collection/analyst independent contractors you must work 4 hours a day for it to be considered a “full day” and get paid for that day. Less than 4 hours and you don’t hit the qualifications for that day. And the problem is there’s several days you log in and begin working only to run out of work in an hour and therefore can’t get a paid day and they do not make you aware of it in advance. So you can literally be told you have work for the day and plan and allot your time to work for them that day and it be a complete loss and waste of your time. Hope this helps add to the info here. Thanks for a good solid review.
Hey Sam, thanks for sharing, it’s a huge insight for everyone looking for work-at-home jobs. Really appreciate it 🙂
Jay
They wanted my phone bill login information
Hi Madison, that does sound a little shady, eh? I can’t imagine a scenario where that information would be relevant to them. Unless of course they were using it for fraudulent purposes.
I am also being offered an Apple laptop and Mac computer, an IPhone X, and a long list of other equipment needed to perform the job. They offered me a data entry full time position with benefits but for me it doesn’t feel right.
Oh my gosh I just got scammed ??? my account got hacked I really thought this was a legit company..
Oh nooo… I really hope you get things sorted out. So sorry to hear that. As far as Appen though, they are 100% legit. I posted an official statement from them above though. There has been someone pretending to be from Appen and scamming people but Appen has nothing to do with this person.
Here is their official statement:
Appen recruiting will only contact candidates with a verified @appen.com or @connect-mail.appen.com email address and will never ask them for money or gift cards. There is no charge to join Appen. We encourage you to report any messages you receive from unverified accounts as fraud and discontinue the conversation. If you’d like to read more about safety tips for your job search, please visit the Life at Appen blog.
My apologies again though… really hope your situation with being hacked gets sorted out or that maybe it’s an error of some kind. Thank for sharing your experience as well,
Jay
They are offering me a new phone and laptop. Is this normal for this type of job?
Hi Louise, I wouldn’t say normal no. Not as a contractor. A full-time employee maybe, but that’s an entirely different interview process.
Are they asking for anything in return? Credit card information to pay for shipping for example? Phishing scams will pretend to be a legit company (like Appen) and present you with an offer in exchange for some kind of personal information they can use. In this case, if you were asked to pay for shipping they’d get your name, credit card information, home address, etc.
As an independent contractor here though, I’d be suspicious about such an offer.
Jay
They offered me a similar offer, saying they would provide me with an iphone, apple laptop, imac computer, scanner, printer, etc. to do the needed job (data entry).. They also stated I would not be a contractor, I would be an employee, I would get a w-9 and all, after 6 weeks I can receive benefits such as health, dental, vision, 401K, etc. The pay was also much higher than expected. Never asked for my credit card info or anything but im still skeptical.
Hi Louise, it makes sense for them to provide “employees” with the necessary equipment, but I guess my question is whether you went through a formal interview process like you would for a local job. Turnover is extremely expensive for a company so they wouldn’t hire an employee without a proper interview, reference check etc.
It sounds like a lot equipment to offer someone… especially being Apple products. That’s thousands of dollars. When it comes to businesses, roughly 90% use Microsoft products so it definitely sounds suspicious. It doesn’t make sense to pay Apple prices for data entry.
Did they say anything about the cost of the equipment begin deducted from your pay?
I live in Auckland, New Zealand and looking for jobs not too complicated and technical for me.Have you have any suggestions,eg data entry posting on social media. Please send info to email address as below.
Many Thanks
Gaylene
Hi Gaylene, thanks for stopping by. A great place to start is to browse through [this list], it has hundreds of home-based jobs and side hustles resources and ideas. I’ll also send some info to your email as requested.
Jay
Thank you for this review. As far as I can tell, it’s worth giving it a shot to see how the average hourly pay comes out. For those that have never worked in a contracted position, they should be aware that as such, one pays the full amount of social security / FICA taxes (15.3% instead of 7.65% as an employee). So it’s something to consider when you do the math. But also consider no driving, commute time, or expansion of wardrobe.
Thanks Mary, that’s a really good point. There’s definitely a lot of savings when you work at home, and the freedom is definitely worth it… but there are some additional expenses I hadn’t mentioned.
Thanks for your insight and for reading 🙂
Jay
It is true Appen.com is a legitimate site. But, they pay very low – for the Indians they are paying $3 to $3.5 for social media evaluator jobs.
But, they definitely pay by the 14th day of next month.
Thanks Ajay, always great to get another perspective and I’m sure your info will be helpful for others. Really appreciate the feedback.
Hi
Are you still working with Appen?
Are they paying on time ?
Hey there,
I think I will just have to give aspen a go and see how it goes for me. About the pay depending on where you live, I can already see myself receiving the lowest pay because other similar programs did the same.
This means I will need to get another job.
Do you have any other program in mind that can make me more money, and is more based on making me not look for these happen like jobs again?
I would really appreciate it.