- by x32x01 ||
Why Bug Bounty is a Scam? 
Bug Bounty programs look attractive
- companies pay hackers for finding vulnerabilities. But the harsh reality is that most hackers never make real money from it. Let’s break it down 
1. Thousands Competing, Few Winning
Platforms like HackerOne, Bugcrowd, Intigriti have lakhs of hackers.Only top 1% hackers find unique, high-impact bugs.
Rest get “Duplicate
” or “Not Applicable 
”. 2. Time vs Reward Mismatch
Weeks of testing → $0 reward.Hours of sleepless nights
vs small bounty like $50–100.Not worth the effort compared to actual cybersecurity jobs.
3. Unfair Company Policies
Many companies use bug bounty as “cheap penetration testing”.Report a bug → they patch silently
→ then say “Out of Scope”.Some even ban or block researchers after disclosure.
4. Duplicates = 0$
Even if you find a critical RCE 
, if someone already reported it → you get nothing.Dupes kill motivation fast.
5. Mental Stress 
Endless recon, automation, and sleepless nights.Constant rejection emails = frustration.
Creates illusion of “easy hacker money” but reality is burnout.
6. Platforms Make More Money than Hackers 
Bug bounty platforms earn millions in commissions from companies.Hackers get scraps - often less than 1% of what companies save.
7. Lack of Legal Protection 
Many private programs = legal grey area.Hackers risk legal notices or bans even for ethical work.
The TruthBug bounty is not a scam for companies - they save millions with cheap security testing.
But for hackers, it’s mostly false hope + exploitation unless you’re already a top 1% elite hacker.
Better Alternatives
Focus on real Cybersecurity jobs / Pentesting career Build automation & AI tools for security Do freelance security consulting Learn & practice hacking for knowledge, not just bounty dreams
Takeaway:Bug bounty is marketed as an easy way to make money
, but in reality it’s a lottery system 
where companies always win, and hackers usually lose.