Job scams: Beware of tempting job offers on WhatsApp & Telegram
Criminals are using a sophisticated job scam to promise quick money via WhatsApp and Telegram. The scammers are particularly targeting people in financial difficulties. Seemingly simple tasks, such as reviewing hotels or testing products, can be done from home. Those who don't spot the scam often lose a lot of money - sometimes all their savings.
We explain how the scam works and how you can protect yourself.
Making contact - usually via SMS, WhatsApp or Telegram
Scammers usually contact their victims via SMS, WhatsApp or Telegram with attractive job offers. Here is an example of a typical offer:
I am Marie from ... Recruitment. We are looking for people aged 20+ to help a hotel booking platform optimise bookings and reviews. We offer flexible part-time and full-time jobs (60-90 minutes per day, 5 days a week) with a basic salary of 300 to 800 euros per day. [...] If you are interested, you can contact our employer via WhatsApp+... to get in touch.
Very important: Be aware that job offers via SMS, WhatsApp, Telegram, etc. are not serious! If you have not applied and the salary sounds too good to be true, it is a scam.
How do scammers get my phone number?
There are several ways fraudsters can get your phone number:
- Data leaks or hacker attacks on companies
- Your registration on dubious websites, e.g. for competitions
- Classifieds where you have left your mobile phone number
- Consenting to data transfer for online contracts
One victim reported to the European Consumer Center (ECC) Germany that the scammers claimed to have obtained his number through a recruitment agency - a ploy to gain trust.
The job trap: Victims are ensnared
Anyone who contacts the scammers ends up in WhatsApp or Telegram groups where alleged users rave about high earnings - all fictitious.
In a "training course," a "mentor" then explains the tasks, such as reviewing hotels, posting likes, or testing products. Victims are often even made to believe they are working for well-known companies.
Registration on dubious platforms
Victims are asked to register on online platforms. The URL names are often associated with hotels, tour operators or well-known brands.
Once registered, you are given a supposedly personal login area that makes you believe you are dealing with something legitimate. Tasks appear there, and for each completed task, you are supposedly credited with a commission - often in cryptocurrency.
At first, everything goes smoothly and the account shows a growing balance. But that is only part of the scam.
Screenshots: On platforms such as these, victims are asked to register and open an account through which they can receive work orders and view alleged “money receipts”.
Caution: Not only do you risk your money in these scams, but you can also be prosecuted.
For example, for helping the criminals launder money.
Fraudulent job offers are often Ponzi schemes or may lure you into high-risk investments!
How the job scam works
The rude awakening comes when the supposed employees ask to be paid.
Then they suddenly tell you that you need to invest money first, for example to reach a VIP level and get better jobs and higher earnings.
Or you may be told that a certain minimum amount must be reached before a withdrawal is possible.
In other cases, the account goes into the red for inexplicable reasons and you are asked to balance it with new deposits.
Example from the ECC's case work
A consumer had deposited 10,000 Euros. His balance increased to 17,000 Euros due to alleged commissions. But when he asked for a payout, he was asked for a "deposit" of 8,600 Euros.
The fact is: No matter how much you deposit. You will not get your money or your commission. Even the tasks you perform are all fictitious. In short, you're not really working, you're just wasting your time.
Job scamming: Who are the scammers?
Scammers often pretend to be legitimate marketing or online agencies, or temporary employment agencies from other European countries.
Criminals set up WhatsApp accounts with fictitious names. Photos are stolen from the internet, such as Linkedin profiles. Websites are faked. Phone numbers are often foreign prepaid cell phones.
Scammers operating across Europe are not only after your money, but also your personal information (e.g. bank details, copies of ID cards) and may commit identity theft.
Who is most at risk?
People who are urgently looking for a source of income, such as job seekers, low-income earners, parents looking to earn some extra money from home, or people from a migrant background, are particularly at risk. Language barriers and uncertainty in the job market can make it easier for scammers to gain their trust.
How do I recognize a scam job offer?
- The job offer comes unsolicited via messenger service, text message, or social media.
- The pay sounds unrealistically high for little work.
- You are asked to invest your own money before being paid.
- There is no verifiable company information or contact person.
- Don't be fooled by a professional-looking website that lets you log in and see your supposed user area. Such sites are easy to fake.
Tips to protect yourself from job scams
- Be suspicious of job offers via SMS, WhatsApp, Telegram & Co.
- Do not contact strangers. Scammers are trained to build up trust.
- Do not give out personal information willingly.
- Consistently break off contact with scammers. Block phone numbers and emails.
- Never pay moneyto receive a salary! No advance payment is required for legitimate jobs.
- Report fraudulent sites to the Watchlist Internet platform.
- If you are a victim, report it to the police immediately.
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Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Innovation Council and Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Executive Agency (EISMEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.