Devious online scammers have come up with a new scheme which can end up costing victims a staggering £12,600, a fraud expert has revealed. The criminals have set up schemes which see people being asked to complete surveys or tasks for ‘work’ – only for them to hit unsuspecting Brits in the pocket.
Employment scams are becoming increasingly common – up almost 300 per cent this year alone – and criminals are constantly devising new methods to entice jobseekers into parting with their money. While some people lose hundreds of pounds to the crooks, Paul Hampson – CEO of fraud recovery specialists CEL Solicitors – has warned the average losses can be in the thousands.
He said: “Time and time again, scammers target people who are looking for work – many of whom are vulnerable. They’ll utilise reputable recruitment sites or other online platforms, and they’ll promise large financial returns for well-paid jobs that offer flexible home-working.
“The fraudsters will then request an advance payment, which could be for anything from training materials to inventory or taxes they say need to be paid. While it might seem suspicious that an employer would ask you for money, job scams are very sophisticated and can seem very legitimate even to the most tech-savvy people.”
A growing number of Brits are turning to the internet to find side hustles that reward the user’s time with money – including watching adverts, writing reviews and completing polls. However, it can leave them vulnerable to scammers who ask for payment to unlock these tasks and reach new levels of earnings.
CEL Solicitors has seen a growing number of cases of this type of scam over the last 12 months. Mr Hampson said: “The average loss is around £12,600, so we’re talking significant amounts of money.
“The scammers are very adept at making a company or job opportunity seem legitimate but, ultimately, if a prospective employer asks for cash then this is a red flag.”
The legal expert advised people to take the time to research an employer. If they have reached out through Whatsapp or email, try to make contact via an official platform to verify the job offer.
“We’ve seen cases where scammers have used the name of an employee from a company to add a level of legitimacy, so anyone looking up the person might find a LinkedIn profile or a name on a website,” said Mr Hampson.
“We would always say check with a company directly to ensure the job is real. Be wary of immediate hiring options where they’ve not asked for an interview or completed a Right to Work check.
“A genuine job would need this information and would check your qualifications before offering a role. Avoid sharing personal data such as bank details, unless you’re confident about the employer’s authenticity. Some scammers might take this info to then target you with another scam at a later time.”