Latest news with #jobscams
Malay Mail
23-05-2025
- Business
- Malay Mail
‘Eager and inexperienced': Fresh grads most at risk of overseas job scams, says Labour Dept
IPOH, May 23 — Fresh graduates who have just completed their studies at institutions of higher learning are found to be the most vulnerable to overseas job scams. The Department of Labour Peninsular Malaysia (JTKSM) director-general Kamal Pardi said this is because these individuals are easily deceived by syndicates promising high salaries and various other benefits. 'They (young people) are eager to start working. They have no experience and often fail to verify whether the job offers are legitimate. Most of the offers involve employment abroad. 'This is the reason why many of them fall into the trap and become victims of forced labour,' he said in a press conference after launching the roadshow on Prevention of Labour Exploitation: Towards Zero Forced Labour 2030 at a shopping mall, here today. Kamal said the department strongly encourages jobseekers, especially youths, to register with legitimate job-matching platforms such as the MYFutureJobs portal to find suitable job opportunities and avoid falling victim to employment scams. At the same time, Kamal said the roadshow convoy is part of an integrated initiative to raise public awareness and strengthen collective action against worker exploitation and forced labour in the country. He said the roadshow is expected to travel from Perak to Perlis, with several identified pit-stops to deliver outreach and information directly to targeted communities. 'The programme includes a variety of activities such as talks, community outreach sessions, distribution of printed materials and mini exhibitions related to workers' rights, forms of exploitation and reporting channels. 'The convoy approach enables more comprehensive, inclusive and direct communication with all layers of society,' he said. He added that the programme is also in line with the government's aspiration and international commitment to eradicate forced labour by 2030. — Bernama
News.com.au
23-05-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
Fast-growing scam targets WFH job hunters
A scam targeting work-from-home job hunters has been found to cost Australians more than all other scam types combined. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has released findings from a taskforce established to tackle job and employment scams – the fastest growing scam type of 2023. Scamwatch reports for the 2024 calendar year, Australians lost $13.7m to job and employment scams, with an average loss of $14,470. This is 5.1 per cent higher than the average loss for all other scam types combined. Job scams – which often come in the form of fraudulent offers of employment designed to encourage victims into giving money, providing personal information, or working for free – often target people seeking additional income, and flexible or work-from-home opportunities. The scams were found to have the greatest impact on people with low incomes, from culturally diverse communities, people living with disabilities and international students. The report found that fraudsters often impersonated reputable recruitment organisations such as Seek, LinkedIn and Adecco. Often, scammers message people with a job offer that includes a high income, working from home and little effort. They then attempt to acquire a victim's personal information or trick them into providing free labour. Another type of job scam is 'money mule' scams, where an innocent victim is recruited to launder money for a criminal organisation. 'The impact of job scams can be devastating and is likely significantly underreported by victims,' ACCC deputy chair Catriona Lowe wrote in the report. 'Many job scam victims report that they have lost their life savings as well as money they have borrowed from family and friends 'In addition to these financial impacts, victims incur additional harm through the loss of personal information leading to an increased likelihood of future scam losses and identity crime. 'The cost of a victim's loss of trust in recruitment processes and loss of confidence in their ability to secure meaningful employment is hard to quantify.' In 2024, 78 per cent of those who provided their age when reporting a job scam were under 44, and 18.8 per cent of job scam victims who lost money self-reported English as their second language compared with 7.7 per cent for other scam types. The National Anti-Scam Centre's Job Scam Fusion Cell brought together government, law enforcement and industry to attempt to combat the growing issue. The taskforce, which ran for six months from September 2024, led to the referral of 836 scammer cryptocurrency wallets to digital currency exchanges for analysis and investigation, leading to blocking and black-listing. Intelligence sharing led to Meta's removal of about 29,000 accounts engaged in job scams in Australian Facebook groups, and 1850 scam enablers such as websites and scam job advertisements were referred for removal.
CBS News
19-05-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Scam job postings are on the rise, here's what to know before you apply
Job posting scams are more common than you think. Here are red flags to keep an eye out for. Job posting scams are more common than you think. Here are red flags to keep an eye out for. Job posting scams are more common than you think. Here are red flags to keep an eye out for. If you're looking for work — or just a side-hustle to make some extra cash — think twice before replying to that job posting. Job scams are on the rise, according to the Identity Theft Resource Center, a nonprofit that helps consumers when their identities are stolen. How job scams work The fact that most people now search for jobs online has made it easier for fraudsters to pose as recruiters or companies, using the application process to trick people into giving money or personal information, according to Mary Bach with AARP Pennsylvania. "It's a way to steal your identity," Bach warns. "They ask for things like your Social Security number, your driver's license number, under the guise of just a job application." But Bach cautions that kind of personal information should never be required for a job interview. "An employer is not going to ask you for all of that detail until they've actually hired you and you've got the job," she said. Some scammers post fake jobs, but others reach out directly to job seekers through direct messages or texts. Susan Tompor's offer came in a text message, advertising a work-from-home position with a chance to earn up to $1,000 a day. "Obviously, when you get a text, somebody offering you a job, you feel like, oh, somebody likes you," she previously told CBS News. "You know, somebody likes your work, they've noticed your talent." It sounded so good, Tompor said she recognized right away it was a scam. CBS Philadelphia Red flags to keep an eye out for An initial red flag is that scammers usually try to make the job sound very appealing, according to the Better Business Bureau. The BBB says some bogus offers say things like, "we offer a job that takes only 30 minutes a day," and will often include phrases like, "being your own boss," or "setting your own schedule." In other cases, scammers pose fake jobs for positions that don't really exist. Some phony posts even make it onto legitimate sites like LinkedIn. In either case, another big red flag is if you're asked to pay something up front. "They may tell you up front that they need your bank account number in order to post payment when you're hired, well, let me assure you, that's a real red flag," Bach said. A scammer might also send a fake signing bonus and then ask you to return some of the money under the guise of covering expenses. But when the bank discovers it's a fake check, you're left on the hook for the money. Always do your research Bach advises job seekers to always research the company, especially if they didn't seek out the offer. If someone claiming to be a recruiter contacts you, it's recommended that you research their name to see if you can verify if they have a social media presence. You can also verify a recruiter's email through a free email address validator, like Emailable or Clearout, or by calling the company directly. If you or a family member is a victim of a scam, it's good practice to report it on the FTC's website. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Do you have a money question, a consumer issue, or a scam story you want to share? Email InYourCorner@
News24
09-05-2025
- News24
Rwanda repatriates citizens trafficked to Asia
The authorities in Rwanda intervened after several of its citizens who were stranded in Southeast Asia reached out to one of the country's social media influencers for help. The Rwandans said they were trapped in Myanmar and Laos after traveling there to work. The influencer, Richard Kwizera, tagged the government on his platforms. Ten of the Rwandans have since been repatriated. 'There are dozens of Rwandan nationals trafficked to Southeast Asian countries, especially Myanmar and Laos who are appealing to the Rwandan government to help facilitate their return home,' Kwizera told DW. They were victims of job scams, he said. Targeted by job fraudsters In Rwanda, fraudsters who offer jobs and other opportunities abroad and solicit money from unsuspecting people are becoming increasingly active. Some promise scholarships in Europe, the US, Canada or Australia. Some operate out of offices in the capital Kigali, or out of so-called 'briefcase offices'. GUTABARIZA: Dozens of #Rwandan nationals trafficked to Southeast Asian countries of #Myanmar & #Laos, are appealing to the Government of @RwandaGov, to help facilitate their return home. They were deceived by fake agents who promised them lucrative jobs in these countries….👇 — Richard Kwizera (@Muzungu4) May 3, 2025 Young people from countries in East African who travel to Asia and the Middle East for jobs often find themselves being forced into commercial sex work and other dangerous occupations. Although the Rwandan government has not provided the total number of nationals on the repatriation scheme, it has expressed concern over what it says are illegal recruitments and human trafficking. On X, government spokesperson Yolande Makolo responded to Kwizera on 3 May, saying: 'The government working with IOM [International Organisation for Migration], has this past week repatriated 10 victims of trafficking from Myanmar.' 'We are aware of five more who are still there and we are working to bring them home,' she added. Trapped incommunicado in Asia According to Kwizera, some Rwandans are trapped in Southeast Asia without any means of communicating with the outside world. There are some who are still in these countries and upon arrival at the airports in these countries, their phones and passports were confiscated, putting their lives at risk. Richard Kwizera DW has been unable to reach any of the Rwandans who were repatriated or those still reported trapped in Southeast Asia to hear about their experience. Although the nature of the work they were recruited for is unclear, it is widely believed that they were exploited by Rwandans and people in Myanmar and Laos. The Rwanda Workers' Trade Union Confederation (CESTRAR) told DW they were unaware of the situation in Southeast Asia and unable to assist. It says its focus is on advocating for the rights of workers within Rwanda. 'This issue has never been brought to our attention for sure. I will then need to search for more information and understand their situation before I can say anything about it,' Afracain of Biraboneye, the CESTRAR Secretary General, said. A survey by the National Institute of Statistics (NSIR) in Rwanda shows unemployment at 14.9% in 2024 - a decrease of 2.3% on the previous year. Over the past five years, there have reports of human trafficking and forced labour in Rwanda and involving Rwandans in other parts of the world. Identifying forced labour is difficult Men, women, and children are trafficked for forced domestic and sex work, as well as labour in the agricultural, mining, industrial, and service sectors, according to human rights groups. Child labour is most prevalent in agriculture, illegal mining and construction. Traffickers in Rwanda are known to ensnare young adults into sex work at hotels, bars or restaurants by using fraudulent marriage contracts. In 2018, Rwanda enacted legislation to prevent and punish exploitation and human trafficking. Although the country has made significant efforts to address the issue, it still falls short of the minimum standards for the elimination of the crime, according to a 2024 US Department of State Trafficking in Persons Report. The IOM has trained the country's law enforcement officers, and a national countertrafficking committee convenes regularly. But experts say the country still meets only minimum standards for the elimination of the crime. According to Rwanda-based NGOs and the trade union federation CESTRAR, identifying forced labour and trafficking is difficult because of cultural norms and minimised workers' rights.
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Staying one step ahead of scammers
(WSPA) – The Federal Trade Commission is warning that scams are tricking more people into falling victim, leading to a 25% jump in yearly losses. So 7NEWS Here to Help looked into some of the latest types of scams that should be on your radar so you don't fall victim. Scams are costing Americans $12.5 billion annually, according to the latest FTC data. Sophisticated job scams Chad Murphy, in Spartanburg, is a testament to how scams are growing more sophisticated. He fell victim to a job scam from a company that went by the name Synerise. 7NEWS tried to verify whether the scammers were impersonating a Poland-based company with that name; however, despite a website in English that appears to have existed for a decade, we got no response from Synerise nor from any of the companies that it purports to serve on its site. The scam started when a supposed 'head hunter' reached out to Murphy and offered online training with Synerise to do a work-from-home job they called 'optimizing apps.' 'I thought it was legit…I honestly believed I was going to be making money and I did for a few days, but then it just turned around, and I got caught up in it, I guess,' Murphy said. Did you catch that? They actually paid him. Still, the ploy was to gain trust and then require him to put money back in, in order to get what he was told would be 'bigger payouts at higher levels.' 'I was supposed to get $800 after 5 days, plus the bonuses and commission that I make daily,' Murphy said. Instead, he ended up losing $5,981. Forums like Reddit are filled with similar warnings about Synerise and companies with similar names from victims who warn that fake reviews and chatbot messages make these pop-up companies seem more legit. The rule of thumb: be leery of any company that claims you have to pay money to make money. Online shopping scams Another type of scam that Hunter Jones, with the Better Business Bureau, said is on the rise involves online shopping. 'We did a study in 2024, the BBB did, and over 70% of sponsored ads could be scams, so we're seeing a lot of scammers take advantage of sponsored ads because it initially allows the consumers to trust them.' Jones said of the scam reports from the Upstate alone, victims had lost 'thousands.' To avoid bogus online sellers, don't click on the ad. Search for the seller independently Verify the domain name matches the business Never enter payment on a site that does not have security like a lock in the URL or HTTPS ('s' is for security) Imposter scams The latest fraud data from the Federal Trade Commission showed that the most commonly reported category is imposter scams. Losses last year from scammers pretending to be with the federal government, for instance, totaled $790 million, which is $170 million more than the year before. Well-known businesses are often impersonated, too. Jones said the BBB has received multiple reports of scammers impersonating the local company, Advance America, based in Greenville. Victims have lost from $900 to $6,000. Even the scams you might not think people would fall for, like the bogus text claiming you have a package waiting at the post office, are raking in money for scammers who, let's be honest, wouldn't be sending it if it weren't luring in some victims. Medical supply scams Then there's a different type of package scam, one that actually arrives. Medical equipment that people like John Woodson, in Clinton, SC, never requested. 'They had said my doctors in Laurens…had approved it and all they needed was my Medicare number, which I did not give them,' Woodson said. Yet the package came, followed by a disturbing notice, a bill for $609. 'I'm not paying it was the first thing and I got right angry over it,' Woodson said. A search of the medical supply company, Fast Meds, which has no website of its own, turns up reviews that all tell a similar tale from victims who had also been billed for supplies they didn't request or need. As with any suspicious text or call, Woodson's message: Look it up, and don't divulge any private information before you verify its legitimacy. Chances are, like that outstanding toll message everyone keeps getting, including Woodson's wife, Tanna, you're not alone. She wasn't about to fall victim. 'I thought Jeepers, no,' she said. Ways to report scams To report a scam, you can use several resources, including: Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSPA 7NEWS.
