WhatsApp and Telegram are the main communication tools at all levels. Therefore, it is not uncommon to receive messages from strangers or messages that cause strangeness such as communications offering attractive job offers working from home.
This work activity was a normal thing in the health crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic and is currently used by unscrupulous people, who under the pretext of resorting to this comfortable work methodology establishes communication for purposes that are not so benign.
In it, the unwary WhatsApp or Telegram user is instructed on the possibility of working from home on well-known Internet platforms such as Amazon or TripAdvisor by writing reviews or making ratings that highlight the quality of a certain product. And doing work from home with salaries that exceed the average and are paid daily into a bank account.
Nothing more false, because the mentioned employment platforms and even the financial ones in which the salaries will be paid are adulterated versions. They pretend to be authentic in order for the user to log in with their original credentials and inadvertently provide personal information and banking information.
In other words, it is cyber fraud that uses social engineering methods and even more serious, phishing techniques, since access to the supposed Internet platforms is generally done through a link sent via WhatsApp or Telegram, but emails and SMS messages are not excluded.
What to do if you receive a job offer via WhatsApp or Telegram?
In reality, there are many signs that may alert you to a risk of fraud in such communications.
First of all, legally operating banking companies or e-commerce platforms do not usually make login requests to their online sites using instant messaging or SMS.
On the other hand, the wording of the message must be taken into account. A message with spelling errors does not agree with the care of the image that large corporations lavish on.
The fact of receiving messages from unknown persons or entities in which you have not requested any type of service should also be cause for suspicion.
Another attitude that can alert you to a scam is the request for some amount of money to complete the initial recruitment phase, since the transaction is most likely made on a fraudulent site and the criminals steal your bank account once you have entered. your personal information.
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay