Lloyds Bank has issued a stark warning to the British public as a wave of sophisticated 'advance fee' scams sweeps the nation, with victims losing an average of £1,420 from their accounts.
How the Job Scam Operates
Fraudsters are actively targeting jobseekers by promoting fake remote working or content creator positions. Christina Ford, a Fraud Investigator at Lloyds Bank, explained the mechanics based on her direct experience with affected customers.
"In my role, I've spoken to a number of customers who have been approached unexpectedly with job offers or they've responded to advertisements promising quick cash or remote working opportunities," Ford stated.
These fraudulent offers are primarily circulated on social media platforms. They are not always presented as formal job adverts; sometimes, they appear as posts from fake profiles sharing a 'great job opportunity' they claim to have personally benefited from.
Once initial contact is made, conversations are typically moved to other messaging applications. Victims are then added to group chats designed to look like legitimate workspaces. The roles offered seem simple and easy, such as watching TikTok videos, liking content, or writing fake reviews to inflate a company's online ratings.
The Trap and The Financial Loss
To build trust, the scammers tell individuals they will earn a set amount for each task completed. Crucially, victims do receive small initial payments into their bank accounts, making the scheme appear genuine.
However, this is the core of the deception. These initial payments are often sent from the bank accounts of other scam victims, who have been tricked into believing they are paying an 'advance fee' to unlock higher-paying tasks. The promised substantial earnings never materialise, and victims find themselves significantly out of pocket.
Understanding Advance Fee Fraud
This type of crime is classified as 'advance fee fraud', where criminals convince victims to make an upfront payment for goods, services, or financial gains that are entirely fictitious.
According to Action Fraud, the UK's national reporting centre for fraud and cybercrime, these scams frequently masquerade as career opportunities. Beyond the remote work traps, other common examples include:
- Bogus publishers and literary agents.
- Invention promotion and patent companies.
- Fake model and casting agencies.
All of these schemes follow a similar pattern: they begin with an initial consultation that seems legitimate, then demand an upfront fee supposedly for further work or research. The promised career launch and its benefits are never delivered, leaving the victim with a financial loss and broken promises.
The public is urged to exercise extreme caution with any online job offer that requires an advance payment and to thoroughly verify the legitimacy of any company before engaging.
