'It was too late': Single mum loses her life savings to sinister job scam
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The internet has become an accessible hub for job seekers.
However, this convenience is also marred by the unfortunate reality of online scams, preying on people's hopes of finding honest work.
A heart-wrenching example of this is the story of a single mum who fell victim to a complex job scam.
Melbourne-based mum Mel Anderson's ordeal began with a simple desire: to find a cleaning job that would allow her to care for her young children.
Her search led her to a job posting on a social media forum, which was the perfect opportunity for her.
The job, which claimed to be associated with the homestay company Airbnb, offered the chance to earn a steady commission income from home.
It was an offer that seemed too good to pass up for Anderson, who wanted a fresh start after a family break-up.
However, the job was nothing but a facade set up by international scammers.
The website Ms Anderson trained on was fake, and every aspect of the job was manufactured to deceive.
The scam began with small, seemingly innocuous tasks and requests for minor 'recharges' to access commissions.
'You end up having to recharge once, and it's something like $40, and they're telling you all what you're going to get today. You're going to get $200 if you finish this. So you'll think, "Oh, $40 isn't much," Ms Anderson shared.
'They start to control you a lot more, but then they're telling you they want this much until you end up, like I did, with an empty bank account, and then demanding $27,000.'
They even created a fake co-worker who lured Ms Anderson into handing over more and more money.
'They had someone pretending to be in the same position as me, telling me, "Oh, I do have the money that I'm going to ask my friends to borrow, my family to borrow, so then I can pay them back when everything is finished," And of course, going on with me, it was going on for them,' Ms Anderson lamented.
'By the time I realised she wasn't a real person, it was too late. The damage was done.'
Despite her diligence, Ms Anderson lost almost $30,000 to the scam.
She struggled to feed her children and was pressured by the scammers into selling her valuables to recoup the losses.
Anderson chose to stay in contact with the fake co-worker to gather evidence for the police despite the risks involved.
'I got everything cancelled, blocked my net bank, so I can't use NET bank until I do a factory reset and then get my computer checked as well as they could still be on there,' Ms Anderson added.
'They obviously have a very sophisticated system going on with what they're doing. The whole business is run out of China. I even have the address. I have the information on where they're located, and their name, their business name, and all this sort of stuff as well.'
Ms Anderson's story should be a cautionary tale for all of us, especially for those looking for side hustles online.
Scams like these have become increasingly common, and they target vulnerable individuals who need employment.
Have you or someone you know encountered a job scam similar to Ms Anderson? Share your experiences in the comments below to help others stay informed and protected.
However, this convenience is also marred by the unfortunate reality of online scams, preying on people's hopes of finding honest work.
A heart-wrenching example of this is the story of a single mum who fell victim to a complex job scam.
Melbourne-based mum Mel Anderson's ordeal began with a simple desire: to find a cleaning job that would allow her to care for her young children.
Her search led her to a job posting on a social media forum, which was the perfect opportunity for her.
The job, which claimed to be associated with the homestay company Airbnb, offered the chance to earn a steady commission income from home.
Mel Anderson has two children, aged one and two. Image Credit: GoFundMe
It was an offer that seemed too good to pass up for Anderson, who wanted a fresh start after a family break-up.
However, the job was nothing but a facade set up by international scammers.
The website Ms Anderson trained on was fake, and every aspect of the job was manufactured to deceive.
The scam began with small, seemingly innocuous tasks and requests for minor 'recharges' to access commissions.
'You end up having to recharge once, and it's something like $40, and they're telling you all what you're going to get today. You're going to get $200 if you finish this. So you'll think, "Oh, $40 isn't much," Ms Anderson shared.
'They start to control you a lot more, but then they're telling you they want this much until you end up, like I did, with an empty bank account, and then demanding $27,000.'
They even created a fake co-worker who lured Ms Anderson into handing over more and more money.
'They had someone pretending to be in the same position as me, telling me, "Oh, I do have the money that I'm going to ask my friends to borrow, my family to borrow, so then I can pay them back when everything is finished," And of course, going on with me, it was going on for them,' Ms Anderson lamented.
'By the time I realised she wasn't a real person, it was too late. The damage was done.'
Despite her diligence, Ms Anderson lost almost $30,000 to the scam.
She struggled to feed her children and was pressured by the scammers into selling her valuables to recoup the losses.
Anderson chose to stay in contact with the fake co-worker to gather evidence for the police despite the risks involved.
'I got everything cancelled, blocked my net bank, so I can't use NET bank until I do a factory reset and then get my computer checked as well as they could still be on there,' Ms Anderson added.
'They obviously have a very sophisticated system going on with what they're doing. The whole business is run out of China. I even have the address. I have the information on where they're located, and their name, their business name, and all this sort of stuff as well.'
Ms Anderson's story should be a cautionary tale for all of us, especially for those looking for side hustles online.
Scams like these have become increasingly common, and they target vulnerable individuals who need employment.
- To protect yourself from falling victim to similar scams, here are some tips:
- Conduct research: Before accepting any job offer, thoroughly research the company. Look for reviews, check their official website, and verify their contact information.
- Be sceptical of work-from-home offers: While there are legitimate work-from-home opportunities, be wary of offers that seem too good to be true, especially if they require an upfront fee.
- Never share personal information: Legitimate employers will not ask for your bank details or personal information before an official job offer.
- Look for warning signs: Poor grammar in job ads, high pay for minimal work, and requests for payment in the form of gift cards or wire transfers are red flags.
- Check scam watch websites: The Australian Government's Scamwatch website provides alerts on current scams. Always check for warnings related to job offers.
