During the cost-of-living crisis, a scary increase in job scams is preying on young people, especially students, throughout the UK. These scams usually happen over text messages or phone calls. They advertise ruthless pay of £800 per day to work from home. Annya Burskys, head of fraud operations at Nationwide Building Society, continues to highlight making fraudulent messages more attractive. With universities and schools approaching their summer break periods, it’s no wonder that more people looking for summer work are falling victim to these scams.
The short code text messages currently include a very inviting £800 figure. They entice would-be victims by advertising administrative work that offers the potential for significant payoffs. Automated messages often replicate looking agencies such as Indeed. This fraud scheme lures recipients into believing they are participating in legitimate employment opportunities.
The Mechanics of the Scam
Romance scams like these usually begin with a simple message that prompts a person to reach out to the sender through WhatsApp. This tactic gives con artists a chance to develop an air of credibility while drawing victims into dialogue.
Burskys explains how the scam operates: “After you’ve started liking and sharing content you receive a small payment, which is fraudulent funds from other people involved in the scam.” This manner of recruiting deceives victims into thinking they are making real money. It ramps up almost immediately, as fraud victims are led to believe they must pay an additional amount to free up larger potential earnings. Or you’ll be told that it’s for training,” Burskys continues, highlighting the fraudulent tactics used by the scammers.
Most alarming is the rapid pace of these scams. According to law enforcement, victims know they’ve been scammed sometimes within 48 hours! According to its Impact Reports, the average financial loss reported by victims was between £500 – £1000 pounds. All of this leaves some 830,000 people in the original U.S. studies’ financial lurch.
A Rising Concern Among Young Adults
These scams disproportionately affect younger victims. They are uniquely targeted to those between the ages of 16-25. Burskys notes, “We’re starting to see an uptick, particularly in the 16-25 age group,” indicating that this age range is particularly vulnerable to such fraudulent schemes.
The timing on these scams couldn’t be worse, coming just in time with the academic calendar, as students look for summer work. With many universities and schools breaking for the summer, the demand for temporary employment rises, making students prime targets for scammers promising easy money.
To counteract this alarming trend, Burskys urges job seekers to do some in-depth research before diving into discussions with an employer. She encourages people to use tools like Companies House and LinkedIn to check whether a company is real.
Reporting and Prevention
One more thing that’s key to fighting these scams is awareness and reporting them. In the UK, people can report unwanted scam texts to 7726, the operators of which work together to prevent and reduce scam text messages. This move can help law enforcement combat scammers and, in doing so, help stop other incidents before they occur.
Burskys has highlighted that these scams are not just about the financial loss but about the volume of messages sent out: “It’s not the highest value – the problem is the volume.” The overwhelming volume of all the robotic nonsense makes it easier for low income, elderly, and other at-risk people to get scam baited.
Indeed, a reputable recruitment agency, has distanced itself from these fraudulent practices, stating: “Indeed never contacts jobseekers directly by phone on behalf of employers using our platform to find and hire new employees.” This declaration only serves to double down on the need for caution when dealing with unsolicited offers of employment.