Social media infested with fake job scams

Srinagar, Jan 8: Social media platforms have become breeding grounds for fraudulent job scams, with scammers exploiting unemployed people.

The concern is the increasing sophistication of these scammers, who are now investing money in official-looking Instagram ads to lure unsuspecting job seekers into their deceptive schemes.

Previously confined to shady direct messages (DMs), comments, and stories on social media platforms, job scammers are now resorting to investing in polished Instagram ads for non-existent positions at renowned companies like Amazon, Netflix, and Flipkart.

These ads promise lucrative roles, often with unrealistically high salaries, aiming to capture the attention of potential victims.

Additionally, scammers may attempt to entice individuals with seemingly innocuous jobs, such as liking posts of celebrities and influencers.

The typical scam involves encountering a social media ad for an enticing job opportunity, offering an unusually high compensation compared to industry standards.

This immediately raises suspicion as such offers are often too good to be true.

In some cases, scammers may pose harmless tasks, but to “apply” individuals are required to share sensitive personal information, such as bank details or copies of ID cards.

Armed with this data, fraudsters can engage in activities ranging from opening fake credit cards to draining victims’ bank accounts.

Alternatively, victims may be coerced into sharing credit card information directly.

To alleviate suspicions after obtaining personal information, scammers may make small returns on an initial investment, encouraging victims to deposit larger sums over time.

The final blow comes with an invitation to a purported ‘VIP group’ promising significant returns. However, once payments meet the scammers’ targets, they vanish without a trace, leaving victims bereft of their hard-earned money.

The key principle to remember is never to send money or sensitive personal data to strangers making unbelievable offers.

No job requires a person to pay first and if someone requests dubious amounts of identification data, that’s a major red flag.

The users may receive follow requests or direct messages from private accounts posing as wealth advisors.

These accounts, often adopting an attractive female persona with a large following, may offer insider tips on getting wealthy through crypto, stocks, or real estate.

However, a closer look reveals unrelated content, and the accounts eventually present dubious investment opportunities.