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According to the Federal Trade Commission, job seekers seek jobs in a challenging environment, falling victim to employment fraud that promises good wages to complete simple online tasks.
Scams often start harmlessly with TaylorMade text or WhatsApp messages, and scammers take time to build trust with the victim before they win a relationship.
“Most of those who end up losing money to scammers behave pretty reasonably,” said Kati Dafan, assistant director of the Federal Trade Commission’s marketing practices. “The con artists are sophisticated and continue to change their tactics.”
According to the FTC, reports of employment fraud have more than tripled between 2020 and 2023. Gaming employment fraud, or task fraud, represents a significant portion of its growth. In the first part of 2023, roughly 20,000 people reported experiencing gamer-in-gaming scams in the first part of 2024, compared to 5,000 people in 2023.
Dafan said the number was certainly an underestimation as many people have not reported experiences of employment fraud to law enforcement or government trackers.
“Only 4.8% of people complain,” she said.
What should you know about this:
How work fraud works
According to the FTC, fraud usually starts with unexpected text or WhatsApp messages from “recruiters” who provide online work. Mystery Texter will say you can “make good money” by doing “product boost” or “optimization tasks” on your online platform or app.
This “job” promises to earn money from “commissions” per click. Once you complete the task, you will see an increase in the “revenue” aggregation on the platform or app. These revenues are fake.
Ultimately, the app or platform asks you to deposit your money in a cryptographic fashion, usually to complete more tasks and withdraw revenue (non-existent). But if you make a deposit, you will lose real money and you will never receive a fantastic salary.
Who will be targeted?
Eva Velasquez, CEO of Identity Theft Resource Center, said these types of fraudsters usually have employers, including job seekers who are not used to the job market, people who have been out of the job market for some time (such as those who re-enter the workforce where their children are grown), and immigrants who are not used to the employment landscape.
“Many times, the job doesn’t involve simple interviews or interviews. Make sure you work from home and start right away,” Velazquez said. “Sometimes, they start with praise and the person will feel that their skills are recognized. “Oh, do you think I’m great? Tell me more.”
Velazquez highlighted the vulnerability of those looking for work, particularly considering continued economic uncertainty.
“Sometimes it’s about leaving fake reviews of products,” she said. “The scammers are probably selling those reviews illegally, but recruiters might look at the line and say, “I’m going to cross that line. I have to eat.” ”
Several viewers have contacted NBC 5 and responded after being hired from what appears to be a legitimate company. They turned out to be fakes – some North Texan costs thousands of dollars.
Examples of home fraud
Many people want to work from home. Scammers will argue that they have jobs that allow them to work from home with most of their time and effort. They try to get interested by saying things like, “You can be your boss,” “Start your own business,” “Set your own schedule.”
But instead of making money, you’ll end up paying for a starter kit, what you meant to train, or useless certifications. You can also be involved in fake check scams when your credit card is billed without permission.
If someone claims that you can provide you with a job and make a lot of money in a short period of time with a little work, it’s almost certainly a scam. According to the FTC, here are some examples of work-from-home scams:
Changes to fraud: Positions advertised for quality control managers or virtual personal assistants. The job is to receive the packages from home, throw away the original packaging and receipts, repackage the products, then relocate them to the address that provides them. FTC warns that products are often high prices and good items purchased with stolen credit cards. Re-selling Product Scams: Scams include offering the opportunity to purchase branded luxury products at a price less than retail prices and earn money to resell those products for profit. However, after you pay for the product, the package will not arrive. If so, it’s usually junk.
Tips for discovering task-based fraud
Ignore general and unexpected text or WhatsApp messages about the job, no matter how specific or free the message is. Don’t pay to receive your compensation or to get a job. The requirement is a red flag that the position is fraudulent. Don’t trust an employer who evaluates things online or says they’ll pay the things they like online without the on-board process to use the actual product or service they’re rated.
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