Job scam: From money for likes to remote job opportunities, WFH culture has led to several frauds

Work-from-home scams have become increasingly common in India, targeting individuals who are seeking remote job opportunities. These scams prey on people’s desire for flexible work arrangements, often resulting in financial loss and emotional distress. It is important to be cautious and aware of the red flags associated with these scams to protect yourself from falling victim to them.

One prevalent work-from-home scam involves individuals being paid to like YouTube videos or to subscribe to channels. However, scammers take advantage of this engagement and lure victims into investment schemes on platforms like Telegram. They convince victims to pay a certain amount to double their investment and promise high returns. Victims are led to believe that they can earn money simply by liking videos from the comfort of their homes.

Such scams have affected various individuals, including working professionals. Victims have lost significant amounts of money, resulting in financial hardship and mental trauma.

In one case, a single mother lost Rs 14.25 lakhs after falling prey to a social media specialist job scam. She was approached by a woman named Priya on WhatsApp from a company called https://leoburnett.com/ for a job role as a social media specialist. It was a home-based online job that promised to pay Rs 2000-5000 per day. As a part of her first task, she was asked to like a YouTube video and then she was asked to download Telegram and get in touch with the company’s receptionist who will make the payment.

As promised, she was paid and then was asked to subscribe to their top-up plans which would help her gain multifold return on investment. Over time she was introduced to multiple professionals in the company to build trust and her money was also getting back to a point where she had invested a hefty amount of Rs 14.25 lakhs sinking in debt. The money was transferred to eight different bank accounts over 10 days.

The woman, who wants to remain anonymous, lost all her savings and has been suffering from mental trauma. She has also filed a case against the company approaching cyber crime cell.

Another incident involved a 28-year-old IT professional from Gurgaon who lost 2.5 lakhs INR. These stories emphasize the devastating impact of work-from-home fraud on unsuspecting individuals.

Scammers employ tactics to gain victims’ trust and legitimacy. They showcase websites, introduce team members, and make partial payments to create an illusion of authenticity. By doing so, they manipulate victims into investing more money, leading them deeper into the scam. The scammers exploit the rising rate of unemployment and the desire to earn extra income during challenging economic times.

Other scams

Apart from YouTube engagement scams, there are several other common work-from-home frauds in India. These include data entry scams, where victims pay registration fees or purchase software only to discover that the work doesn’t exist or the materials provided are subpar.

Online survey scams entice victims with the promise of substantial earnings, but they either don’t get paid or are asked to pay a fee to receive their earnings.

Freelance job scams involve posing as clients or recruiters and not paying for completed work or providing fake checks. Fake job offers, often posted on job portals or social media platforms, request personal information and demand payment for processing fees or training.

Recognising red flags

To identify work-from-home scams, it is important to be aware of certain red flags. These include requests for personal information or upfront fees, promises of quick and easy money, vague job descriptions or unrealistic expectations, and poor communication or unprofessional behaviour.

Scammers may use well-known company names and logos to appear legitimate, but it is crucial to verify the authenticity of any offer before accepting it.

Nikhil Jois, Growth Head at no-code identity decisioning platform Bureau said, “Be wary of requests for personal information, especially if they are from unknown sources. Also, avoid giving out financial information such as bank account or credit card numbers, and be cautious of any requests to make payments or investments. If you are unsure about the legitimacy of a work-from-home opportunity, do your research and seek advice from trusted sources. Ultimately, staying vigilant and being cautious can help you spot red flags and avoid becoming a victim of work-from-home scams.”

Often, financial abuse victims deal with a lot of mental trauma as well. In such cases, experts recommend trying to acknowledge and accept your emotions.

Shivangi Sagar, counselling psychologist and co-founder of the mental health platform HopeQure says one should not be afraid of sharing the incident with friends and family as they can help the victim in a healing process.

Work-from-home scams have become a significant issue in India, causing financial losses and emotional distress to countless individuals. By remaining vigilant, conducting thorough research, and seeking advice from trusted sources, you can protect yourself from falling victim to these fraudulent schemes.

Hariom Seth, Founder of a job portal Find.Inc lists the following simple ways to identify a work-from-home scam:

Requests for personal information or upfront fees

Promises of quick and easy money

Vague job descriptions or unrealistic expectations

Poor communication or unprofessional behaviour

Steps to follow if you’ve been financially abused:

Stop all communication with fraudsters and block them

Gather all the information and contact details of fraudsters and any evidence of the fraud such as screenshots of conversations or emails.

Keep a record of all the payments made to the fraudsters

Report the fraud to the relevant authorities such as the police, cybercrime cell or the consumer court l Inform bank and credit card companies about the fraud and take the necessary steps to secure their accounts