Disclaimer: The name/s with an asterisk (*) in this article were changed to protect the identity of the victim/s.​

We here at the SDC want to bring attention to a serious issue that many Australians might be unaware of: recruitment scams.

And while we know this may not affect many of you directly, it can happen to the people you love and care about.

So, let them know that before they take on that online job or respond to any job advertisement on social media, they should be aware of the warning signs related to recruitment scams.

For many Australians, finding a job can be an incredibly difficult prospect – especially in today’s job market. This means that job seekers are more willing to take up any offer that appears to be genuine. And it’s this desperation that criminals are exploiting.

Sadly, 67-year-old Adam* became an unfortunate victim of this scheme. He told reporters that the job he expected to bring him extra income ended up ‘destroying’ him financially.

This scam targets eager job hunters. Credit: Sora Shimazaki/Pexels

Adam* shared that after he saw a job advertisement on Facebook, he applied for it and was contacted over the social media messaging site, WhatsApp.

The company that posted the ad told him they handled e-commerce for LUISAVIAROMA, an Italian luxury retailer. Adam* was offered the job and was given a demonstration on how to use the company's platform—all of which were part of the scam.

In a span of five days, Adam* was scammed out of $28,000.

‘It was a disaster. It ruined me.’ He told reporters.

According to Adam*, the job required him to act as a ‘buyer’, meaning he needed to deposit different amounts of his own money into the ‘sellers’ account in order to buy products. Then, the scammer promised to deliver said products and offered Adam* a commission on top of the product’s price.

This is a common tactic used by e-commerce scammers.

This is the original advertisement posted by the scammers on Facebook. Credit: Adam* via ABC news.

Adam* shared that the scammer’s website used identical logos and copywriting as the real Italian retailer. They also had similar websites of well-known companies, including Target, Coles, and Bunnings.

These websites alleviated Adam’s* worries because they made the company look ‘totally legitimate’.

However, three days into the ‘job’, the scammer asked Adam* to increase his deposit for an order that was almost AU $8,000.

A screenshot of the conversations between him and the scammers were posted online, to bring awareness and prevent similar scams from victimising unsuspecting job seekers.

In it, he told the scammers that he was unaware he needed to shell out a huge amount of money for the job and that transferring $8,000 would destroy him financially.

The scammer messaged Adam* that they needed $8,000 from him. Credit: Adam* via ABC news

It is unclear what the scammers have told Adam* beyond the conversation, but he reluctantly gave them his hard-earned cash.

By the fifth day, Adam* realised the whole thing was a set-up and he contacted NAB immediately to notify them of the incident. However, he told reporters that ‘greater measures’ could have been taken by the bank to prevent the substantial loss of his money.

‘NAB didn’t try to contact me to flag these large transfers going out of my account.’ He said before adding that he felt ‘let down’ by the bank.

‘Why didn’t they ask me: “Are you doing this transfer under coercion?”’ He stated.

Fortunately, $6,000 was returned to Adam’s* account after he submitted a formal complaint to the bank.

Georgia Brookes, NAB’s Head of Financial Crime Investigations, said the bank had ‘systems and processes in place to monitor suspicious and unusual transactions’.

But she also urged customers to be wary of unsolicited ‘work-from-home’ or other employment opportunities that involve transferring money.

‘Never agree to receive or forward funds through your account as part of the job’, she said.

Adam* stated that the entire ordeal ‘significantly heightened’ his caution while being online.

‘Coping with such a loss of savings is very difficult. I am receiving professional counselling to help me get through,’ he admitted.

So, what are recruitment scams?

These are the types of online schemes that prey on jobseeker’s feelings of hope. Scammers pretend to be hiring on behalf of high-profile companies or online shopping platforms, or impersonate recruitment agencies.

The scammer typically contacts the jobseeker via letter, email, or phone and offers them a job that requires little effort but with high returns. Essentially, it is a ‘get-rich-quick’ scheme or a modified form of a Ponzi scheme.

False job advertisements on social media lure unsuspecting victims online, just like what happened to Adam*.

Last year, more than $8.7 million was stolen from Australians due to scams, as reported by the ACCC.

Delia Rickard, the Deputy Chair of the ACCC, said: ‘If you are job-hunting and you are offered work that requires little effort for a big financial reward, it is most likely a scam.’ Jobs of this nature might include repeatedly clicking a button on a website or app to purchase products or submit reviews.

While the scammers usually target younger Australians, older adults can still fall victim to this scam as some, like Adam*, may be searching for extra income amid the rising cost of living.

Key Takeaways

• Adam* was scammed by a fake e-commerce job, losing $28,000 in the process.
• Recruitment scams target Australians looking to make the most of a highly competitive job market.
• Scammers impersonate well-known recruitment agencies and offer ‘work from home’ jobs that promise little effort for high returns.
• If a job offer sounds too good to be true, it's probably a scam.

One can never be too careful with online scams, so it’s important to be alert and stay updated on the latest scams doing the rounds. Some tips to protect yourself from cybercriminals include:

• Avoid giving out personal information over the phone. As much as possible, search the number you were called from on the website of the bank (or other institution) to check the legitimacy of the number.
• Don’t panic and assess the situation. We know this may be easier said than done. But scammers usually create a false sense of urgency to manipulate their victims’ emotions. Pause and calmly assess the details first before agreeing to anything.
• Learn to spot the red flags. Banks will never pressure you to update or verify your details to continue banking.

You can find more details about learning how to stay safe online here.

What tips do you have for staying safe against recruitment scams for job seekers out there? Please let us know in the comments below! And please share this article with your friends and family! Let’s all stay safe together.

 

[Penny4]

A few years ago, I used to do mystery shopping for a few companies. This mainly involved checking customer service and varying other tasks etc. On odd times, I might have to buy a product, but nothing like spending hundreds and thousands of dollars. The companies would reimburse me.
Why he thought depositing $ into a stranger's account is beyond my comprehension.

 

[Tripper]

Honestly.....stop .....and THINK! No matter what the offer is or who the "Befriender" is use TIME as your friend. The oldest scam in the world is...it's a one only time offer....so act now.
Don't do anything. Take time, do background checks. You will work it out!

 

[riskydave]

Disclaimer: The name/s with an asterisk (*) in this article were changed to protect the identity of the victim/s.​

We here at the SDC want to bring attention to a serious issue that many Australians might be unaware of: recruitment scams.

And while we know this may not affect many of you directly, it can happen to the people you love and care about.

So, let them know that before they take on that online job or respond to any job advertisement on social media, they should be aware of the warning signs related to recruitment scams.

For many Australians, finding a job can be an incredibly difficult prospect – especially in today’s job market. This means that job seekers are more willing to take up any offer that appears to be genuine. And it’s this desperation that criminals are exploiting.

Sadly, 67-year-old Adam* became an unfortunate victim of this scheme. He told reporters that the job he expected to bring him extra income ended up ‘destroying’ him financially.

View attachment 12462

This scam targets eager job hunters. Credit: Sora Shimazaki/Pexels

Adam* shared that after he saw a job advertisement on Facebook, he applied for it and was contacted over the social media messaging site, WhatsApp.

The company that posted the ad told him they handled e-commerce for LUISAVIAROMA, an Italian luxury retailer. Adam* was offered the job and was given a demonstration on how to use the company's platform—all of which were part of the scam.

In a span of five days, Adam* was scammed out of $28,000.

‘It was a disaster. It ruined me.’ He told reporters.

According to Adam*, the job required him to act as a ‘buyer’, meaning he needed to deposit different amounts of his own money into the ‘sellers’ account in order to buy products. Then, the scammer promised to deliver said products and offered Adam* a commission on top of the product’s price.

This is a common tactic used by e-commerce scammers.

View attachment 12463

This is the original advertisement posted by the scammers on Facebook. Credit: Adam* via ABC news.

Adam* shared that the scammer’s website used identical logos and copywriting as the real Italian retailer. They also had similar websites of well-known companies, including Target, Coles, and Bunnings.

These websites alleviated Adam’s* worries because they made the company look ‘totally legitimate’.

However, three days into the ‘job’, the scammer asked Adam* to increase his deposit for an order that was almost AU $8,000.

A screenshot of the conversations between him and the scammers were posted online, to bring awareness and prevent similar scams from victimising unsuspecting job seekers.

In it, he told the scammers that he was unaware he needed to shell out a huge amount of money for the job and that transferring $8,000 would destroy him financially.

View attachment 12464

The scammer messaged Adam* that they needed $8,000 from him. Credit: Adam* via ABC news

It is unclear what the scammers have told Adam* beyond the conversation, but he reluctantly gave them his hard-earned cash.

By the fifth day, Adam* realised the whole thing was a set-up and he contacted NAB immediately to notify them of the incident. However, he told reporters that ‘greater measures’ could have been taken by the bank to prevent the substantial loss of his money.

‘NAB didn’t try to contact me to flag these large transfers going out of my account.’ He said before adding that he felt ‘let down’ by the bank.

‘Why didn’t they ask me: “Are you doing this transfer under coercion?”’ He stated.

Fortunately, $6,000 was returned to Adam’s* account after he submitted a formal complaint to the bank.

Georgia Brookes, NAB’s Head of Financial Crime Investigations, said the bank had ‘systems and processes in place to monitor suspicious and unusual transactions’.

But she also urged customers to be wary of unsolicited ‘work-from-home’ or other employment opportunities that involve transferring money.

‘Never agree to receive or forward funds through your account as part of the job’, she said.

Adam* stated that the entire ordeal ‘significantly heightened’ his caution while being online.

‘Coping with such a loss of savings is very difficult. I am receiving professional counselling to help me get through,’ he admitted.

So, what are recruitment scams?

These are the types of online schemes that prey on jobseeker’s feelings of hope. Scammers pretend to be hiring on behalf of high-profile companies or online shopping platforms, or impersonate recruitment agencies.

The scammer typically contacts the jobseeker via letter, email, or phone and offers them a job that requires little effort but with high returns. Essentially, it is a ‘get-rich-quick’ scheme or a modified form of a Ponzi scheme.

False job advertisements on social media lure unsuspecting victims online, just like what happened to Adam*.

Last year, more than $8.7 million was stolen from Australians due to scams, as reported by the ACCC.

Delia Rickard, the Deputy Chair of the ACCC, said: ‘If you are job-hunting and you are offered work that requires little effort for a big financial reward, it is most likely a scam.’ Jobs of this nature might include repeatedly clicking a button on a website or app to purchase products or submit reviews.

While the scammers usually target younger Australians, older adults can still fall victim to this scam as some, like Adam*, may be searching for extra income amid the rising cost of living.

Key Takeaways

• Adam* was scammed by a fake e-commerce job, losing $28,000 in the process.
• Recruitment scams target Australians looking to make the most of a highly competitive job market.
• Scammers impersonate well-known recruitment agencies and offer ‘work from home’ jobs that promise little effort for high returns.
• If a job offer sounds too good to be true, it's probably a scam.

One can never be too careful with online scams, so it’s important to be alert and stay updated on the latest scams doing the rounds. Some tips to protect yourself from cybercriminals include:

• Avoid giving out personal information over the phone. As much as possible, search the number you were called from on the website of the bank (or other institution) to check the legitimacy of the number.
• Don’t panic and assess the situation. We know this may be easier said than done. But scammers usually create a false sense of urgency to manipulate their victims’ emotions. Pause and calmly assess the details first before agreeing to anything.
• Learn to spot the red flags. Banks will never pressure you to update or verify your details to continue banking.

You can find more details about learning how to stay safe online here.

What tips do you have for staying safe against recruitment scams for job seekers out there? Please let us know in the comments below! And please share this article with your friends and family! Let’s all stay safe together.

R E A L L Y .... there are a few obvious no, no, no's in that job add!. Sorry but it was a bit obvious to me.

 

[rehandra]

Disclaimer: The name/s with an asterisk (*) in this article were changed to protect the identity of the victim/s.​

We here at the SDC want to bring attention to a serious issue that many Australians might be unaware of: recruitment scams.

And while we know this may not affect many of you directly, it can happen to the people you love and care about.

So, let them know that before they take on that online job or respond to any job advertisement on social media, they should be aware of the warning signs related to recruitment scams.

For many Australians, finding a job can be an incredibly difficult prospect – especially in today’s job market. This means that job seekers are more willing to take up any offer that appears to be genuine. And it’s this desperation that criminals are exploiting.

Sadly, 67-year-old Adam* became an unfortunate victim of this scheme. He told reporters that the job he expected to bring him extra income ended up ‘destroying’ him financially.

View attachment 12462

This scam targets eager job hunters. Credit: Sora Shimazaki/Pexels

Adam* shared that after he saw a job advertisement on Facebook, he applied for it and was contacted over the social media messaging site, WhatsApp.

The company that posted the ad told him they handled e-commerce for LUISAVIAROMA, an Italian luxury retailer. Adam* was offered the job and was given a demonstration on how to use the company's platform—all of which were part of the scam.

In a span of five days, Adam* was scammed out of $28,000.

‘It was a disaster. It ruined me.’ He told reporters.

According to Adam*, the job required him to act as a ‘buyer’, meaning he needed to deposit different amounts of his own money into the ‘sellers’ account in order to buy products. Then, the scammer promised to deliver said products and offered Adam* a commission on top of the product’s price.

This is a common tactic used by e-commerce scammers.

View attachment 12463

This is the original advertisement posted by the scammers on Facebook. Credit: Adam* via ABC news.

Adam* shared that the scammer’s website used identical logos and copywriting as the real Italian retailer. They also had similar websites of well-known companies, including Target, Coles, and Bunnings.

These websites alleviated Adam’s* worries because they made the company look ‘totally legitimate’.

However, three days into the ‘job’, the scammer asked Adam* to increase his deposit for an order that was almost AU $8,000.

A screenshot of the conversations between him and the scammers were posted online, to bring awareness and prevent similar scams from victimising unsuspecting job seekers.

In it, he told the scammers that he was unaware he needed to shell out a huge amount of money for the job and that transferring $8,000 would destroy him financially.

View attachment 12464

The scammer messaged Adam* that they needed $8,000 from him. Credit: Adam* via ABC news

It is unclear what the scammers have told Adam* beyond the conversation, but he reluctantly gave them his hard-earned cash.

By the fifth day, Adam* realised the whole thing was a set-up and he contacted NAB immediately to notify them of the incident. However, he told reporters that ‘greater measures’ could have been taken by the bank to prevent the substantial loss of his money.

‘NAB didn’t try to contact me to flag these large transfers going out of my account.’ He said before adding that he felt ‘let down’ by the bank.

‘Why didn’t they ask me: “Are you doing this transfer under coercion?”’ He stated.

Fortunately, $6,000 was returned to Adam’s* account after he submitted a formal complaint to the bank.

Georgia Brookes, NAB’s Head of Financial Crime Investigations, said the bank had ‘systems and processes in place to monitor suspicious and unusual transactions’.

But she also urged customers to be wary of unsolicited ‘work-from-home’ or other employment opportunities that involve transferring money.

‘Never agree to receive or forward funds through your account as part of the job’, she said.

Adam* stated that the entire ordeal ‘significantly heightened’ his caution while being online.

‘Coping with such a loss of savings is very difficult. I am receiving professional counselling to help me get through,’ he admitted.

So, what are recruitment scams?

These are the types of online schemes that prey on jobseeker’s feelings of hope. Scammers pretend to be hiring on behalf of high-profile companies or online shopping platforms, or impersonate recruitment agencies.

The scammer typically contacts the jobseeker via letter, email, or phone and offers them a job that requires little effort but with high returns. Essentially, it is a ‘get-rich-quick’ scheme or a modified form of a Ponzi scheme.

False job advertisements on social media lure unsuspecting victims online, just like what happened to Adam*.

Last year, more than $8.7 million was stolen from Australians due to scams, as reported by the ACCC.

Delia Rickard, the Deputy Chair of the ACCC, said: ‘If you are job-hunting and you are offered work that requires little effort for a big financial reward, it is most likely a scam.’ Jobs of this nature might include repeatedly clicking a button on a website or app to purchase products or submit reviews.

While the scammers usually target younger Australians, older adults can still fall victim to this scam as some, like Adam*, may be searching for extra income amid the rising cost of living.

Key Takeaways

• Adam* was scammed by a fake e-commerce job, losing $28,000 in the process.
• Recruitment scams target Australians looking to make the most of a highly competitive job market.
• Scammers impersonate well-known recruitment agencies and offer ‘work from home’ jobs that promise little effort for high returns.
• If a job offer sounds too good to be true, it's probably a scam.

One can never be too careful with online scams, so it’s important to be alert and stay updated on the latest scams doing the rounds. Some tips to protect yourself from cybercriminals include:

• Avoid giving out personal information over the phone. As much as possible, search the number you were called from on the website of the bank (or other institution) to check the legitimacy of the number.
• Don’t panic and assess the situation. We know this may be easier said than done. But scammers usually create a false sense of urgency to manipulate their victims’ emotions. Pause and calmly assess the details first before agreeing to anything.
• Learn to spot the red flags. Banks will never pressure you to update or verify your details to continue banking.

You can find more details about learning how to stay safe online here.

What tips do you have for staying safe against recruitment scams for job seekers out there? Please let us know in the comments below! And please share this article with your friends and family! Let’s all stay safe together.

I assume people know they can set up "alerts" with their bank. If people are not aware of this I suggest contacting their bank and find out how to do it.

 

[Staffordshire Whippet]

Eejit.

 

[JKD]

How on earth can he blame the bank when he willingly did the transfers is beyond me!! People have to take responsibility for their own actions, dumb or not. Typical of the world today unfortunately.

 

[The Prawn]

This one is currently on FB they are similar shopping scam. Recua. Avoid them at all costs and report.
This is how it starts.
"we are hiring shoppers to carry out shopping errands from home for our brand, we operate a drop-shipping business & we have daily customers purchasing from our online store so we’re looking for associates to carry out our shopping activities, we pay $225 per errand, As a shopper you will be fulfilling orders based on order requests from our customers by going on store errands & purchasing products for our customers upon their request, training is provided on the go immediately you resume and for free, you will get paid instantly after completing each shopping exercise daily, Money to carry out the purchases would be provided by the company before you start the task so you won’t be spending any money from your purse doing this." Utter BS!

 

[DavidEsplin]

I came across a scam just recently. It was one of those ones where they allegedly had excess stock of a manufactured item to clear for a ridiculous fraction of the rrp. They presented a plausible reason for having to clear it all, yet, being a born skeptic, I suspected it was a scam from the get-go. I was required to provide personal info incrementally but then it asked for payment details for the $3 amount, all the while providing pressure to apply very quickly (within a few minutes, as there'd be many people applying).

Anyhow, reading the fine-print revealed that it wasn't as simple as making a secure payment of $3 for this item, turns out I was joining a discount club of some kind and would be billed $99 per month for the privilege, presumably so I'd have the opportunity to purchase other excess stock items for a highly discounted price. It's actually feasible that companies could have excess stock in these days of robotic manufacture and then sell them to wholesalers rather than pay to store them.

Of course, I proceeded no further, but I can imagine many people thinking they were purchasing an item with a perceived value of say $500 - $1000 for $3 would fail to read the fine-print. Then they'd be debited the $3 and perhaps receive the item in a few week's time, breathe a sigh of relief and think nothing more of it. It could take many months before they noticed on their bank statement that $99 was being debited regularly at a different time of the month, and by then they'd have forgotten that it was associated with the "bargain" they bought. Their bank likely wouldn't alert them because there was a direct debit in place and the amount was relatively small. If something sounds too good to be true, it generally is.

 

[DavidEsplin]

Eejit

 

[DavidEsplin]

In reply to Staffordshire Whippet

Are you always this compassionate with people who've had unfortunate experiences?

 

[riskydave]

I came across a scam just recently. It was one of those ones where they allegedly had excess stock of a manufactured item to clear for a ridiculous fraction of the rrp. They presented a plausible reason for having to clear it all, yet, being a born skeptic, I suspected it was a scam from the get-go. I was required to provide personal info incrementally but then it asked for payment details for the $3 amount, all the while providing pressure to apply very quickly (within a few minutes, as there'd be many people applying).

Anyhow, reading the fine-print revealed that it wasn't as simple as making a secure payment of $3 for this item, turns out I was joining a discount club of some kind and would be billed $99 per month for the privilege, presumably so I'd have the opportunity to purchase other excess stock items for a highly discounted price. It's actually feasible that companies could have excess stock in these days of robotic manufacture and then sell them to wholesalers rather than pay to store them.

Of course, I proceeded no further, but I can imagine many people thinking they were purchasing an item with a perceived value of say $500 - $1000 for $3 would fail to read the fine-print. Then they'd be debited the $3 and perhaps receive the item in a few week's time, breathe a sigh of relief and think nothing more of it. It could take many months before they noticed on their bank statement that $99 was being debited regularly at a different time of the month, and by then they'd have forgotten that it was associated with the "bargain" they bought. Their bank likely wouldn't alert them because there was a direct debit in place and the amount was relatively small. If something sounds too good to be true, it generally is.

I saw that

 

[Staffordshire Whippet]

In reply to Staffordshire Whippet

Are you always this compassionate with people who've had unfortunate experiences?

Naaaaah. For the REALLY serious cases, I send in the Response Team.

 

[Jumping Jack Flash]

A few years ago, I used to do mystery shopping for a few companies. This mainly involved checking customer service and varying other tasks etc. On odd times, I might have to buy a product, but nothing like spending hundreds and thousands of dollars. The companies would reimburse me.
Why he thought depositing $ into a stranger's account is beyond my comprehension.

R E A L L Y .... there are a few obvious no, no, no's in that job add!. Sorry but it was a bit obvious to me.

Same here ........ he was being duped big time!

 

[riskydave]

I used to do mystery shopping too, I thought it was fun.

 

[Jumping Jack Flash]

I used to do mystery shopping too, I thought it was fun.

I still do it from time to time ........ no hassle with payment.

 

[riskydave]

I still do it from time to time ........ no hassle with payment.

No I never had a problem.

 

[Macarj]

R E A L L Y .... there are a few obvious no, no, no's in that job add!. Sorry but it was a bit obvious to me.

Me too

 

[The Prawn]

Same here ........ he was being duped big time!

There are a lot of gullible people out there who are also not tech savvy and desperate. Desperation due to current economic crisis.

 

[Jumping Jack Flash]

There are a lot of gullible people out there who are also not tech savvy and desperate. Desperation due to current economic crisis.

So true on both counts.