Tarun Karthick
Port Blair, 11 February 2024
In a concerning development, a new trend in financial cyber fraud has surfaced, with fraudsters resorting to sending Fake Job Offer SMSs to execute their schemes. The modus operandi involves placing deceptive online advertisements promising lucrative job opportunities with minimal time and effort required, all from the comfort of one’s home.
Under this scam, fraudsters masquerade as legitimate employers or recruiters, luring unsuspecting job seekers with attractive employment offers. These offers often come with a catch – applicants are required to make upfront payments for various purposes, such as registration fees or training materials. Once the payment is made, the fraudsters vanish, leaving victims empty-handed and at risk of identity theft due to the personal information divulged during the application process.
Highlighting the gravity of the situation, the Andaman and Nicobar Police have issued a comprehensive advisory aimed at safeguarding individuals from falling prey to such fraudulent schemes. The advisory includes several precautionary measures:
1. Exercise Caution: Avoid falling for enticing job offers received via text messages or emails from unknown senders.
2. Conduct Research: Scrutinize the legitimacy of the job offering company by conducting online research using keywords like “scam,” “fraud,” or “complaint” along with the company name to verify if similar scams have been reported.
3. Avoid Payments: Refrain from making any payments without thoroughly authenticating the employer for registration or other purposes. Legitimate employers typically do not require upfront payments from job applicants.
4. Verify SMS-Headers: Verify the authenticity of a job offer by scrutinizing the SMS headers. Genuine job offers are unlikely to display suspicious or irregular sender information.
5. Beware of Urgency: Exercise caution if the job offer or any subsequent requests display a sense of urgency. Fraudsters often employ tactics to pressure victims into making hasty decisions without proper deliberation.
For individuals requiring assistance, information, or inquiries related to cybercrime, the Cyber Crime Police Station in the A&N Islands can be contacted via the National Helpline No. 1930 or the A&N Police Helpline No. 9531856083. Additionally, individuals can visit cybercrime.gov.in for further resources and support.