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Key takeaways
- In or around March 2026, Mercor experienced a cybersecurity incident reportedly linked to a supply-chain vulnerability in the open-source software LiteLLM. Unauthorised actors accessed.
- 1069 live listings in this category publish a rate, at a median top-of-range of $90 an hour and a ceiling of $400.
- The work is remote contract work, asynchronous, with no set hours and no guaranteed volume.
- Applications screen on a short skills assessment rather than a resume or interview.
What was reported
The finding
In or around March 2026, Mercor experienced a cybersecurity incident reportedly linked to a supply-chain vulnerability in the open-source software LiteLLM. Unauthorised actors accessed systems and exfiltrated a substantial volume of data, reported on the order of several terabytes, potentially including personal and professional information belonging to candidates and contractors. Six cases seeking class action status have been filed in federal court by Mercor workers, including a putative class action filed on 21 April 2026 in the US District Court for the Northern District of California.
In or around March 2026 Mercor was breached through a reported supply-chain vulnerability in LiteLLM, with several terabytes of data reportedly exfiltrated, potentially including candidate and contractor personal information. Six cases seeking class action status have since been filed in federal court by Mercor workers.
What the listings pay
Nothing about that makes the platform fake. It remains a company reportedly in talks at a $20 billion valuation, with real contracts and real payouts. Across 1069 live listings on our board that publish a rate, the median top-of-range is $90 an hour. But you should decide what to upload knowing this happened, rather than finding out afterwards.
| # | Role | Advertised rate | Platform |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | BigLaw lawyers | $140 to $400 an hour | micro1 |
| 2 | CUDA Engineering Expert | $300 to $300 an hour | Mercor |
| 3 | Street Performing Musician | $100 to $300 an hour | micro1 |
| 4 | Data Scientist | $245 to $280 an hour | micro1 |
| 5 | US-Based Business Owners Using Google Chat | $250 to $250 an hour | Mercor |
| 6 | Cybersecurity Research Expert, Offensive Security & Vulnerability Research | $200 to $250 an hour | Mercor |
| 7 | Senior Design Expert - Paid AI Design Research Study | $150 to $250 an hour | Mercor |
| 8 | Physician Talent Network | $110 to $250 an hour | Mercor |
| 9 | Machine Learning Engineer Talent Network | $70 to $250 an hour | Mercor |
| 10 | Disease-Area Clinician, Trial Endpoints & Prescribing | $150 to $230 an hour | Mercor |
Source: 1069 live listings on this board that publish a rate, read directly from each posting on 2026-09-06. Listings without a published rate are excluded rather than estimated.
How this compares across the board
A rate only means something next to the alternatives. This is every category we track with at least five listings publishing a rate, ranked by median top-of-range, so you can see where this work sits rather than taking a single number on trust.
| Category | Listings | Median low | Median top | Highest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Legal | 95 | $100 | $140 | $400 |
| Medical | 68 | $77 | $120 | $400 |
| Consulting | 45 | $80 | $120 | $280 |
| Finance | 94 | $80 | $110 | $280 |
| Engineering | 114 | $70 | $100 | $300 |
| Research/PhD | 132 | $70 | $90 | $280 |
| Writing | 36 | $40 | $80 | $280 |
| Bilingual | 78 | $44 | $52 | $120 |
| Annotation | 25 | $12 | $24 | $120 |
Same source and date as above. Categories are matched on listing title, so a role can appear in more than one.
What it means for you
Practical steps if you have applied: assume your submitted details may have been exposed, use a unique password there, enable multi-factor authentication, be alert to targeted phishing referencing your application, and consider a credit freeze if you provided identity documents. If you are affected, the filed class actions are a matter of public record. Our Mercor review covers the platform in full.
Who should apply
Two checks before you spend time on an application. Confirm the role accepts applicants from your country with the eligibility checker, since a meaningful share of listings carry location requirements. Then run the advertised rate through the take-home calculator, because this is contract work and the headline figure is before self-employment tax.
Applications complete on the hiring platform and usually take a few minutes, with a short skills assessment in place of an interview. Fill in every credential, language and professional background field on your profile. Those are what route you to the better paid listings, and most applicants leave them blank.
Frequently asked questions
What happened in the Mercor data breach?
Reporting describes a March 2026 incident linked to a supply-chain vulnerability in the open-source LiteLLM software, with several terabytes reportedly exfiltrated, potentially including candidate and contractor information.
Are there lawsuits?
Yes. Six cases seeking class action status have been filed in federal court by Mercor workers, including one filed on 21 April 2026 in the Northern District of California.
Does this mean Mercor is a scam?
No. It is an established platform that pays for completed work and is reportedly in talks at a $20 billion valuation. A breach is a security failure, not evidence of fraud.
Should I still apply?
That is your call, and it should be an informed one. Use a unique password, enable multi-factor authentication, and be cautious about which identity documents you upload to any platform.
Why are you publishing this if you earn referrals?
Because you would find out anyway, and a job board that only publishes the good news about platforms it earns from is not worth reading.
Sources
See every live role
The full board updates several times a week, with the advertised rate on each listing and closed roles removed.