Financial Intelligence Unit Aruba (FIU-Aruba) is asking the Aruban community to pay attention to so-called ‘task-based work and task scams’, which is online job fraud. In this type of fraud, individuals are approached via WhatsApp, Telegram, SMS, or social media with an attractive offer to earn money easily, among other things from home.
The job offered seems simple and innocent. For example, they may ask the victim to sit behind their computer and give a video a “like”, review products, promote online stores, or execute other tasks on the internet. Sometimes the fraudsters present themselves as representatives of well-known companies or employment agencies. They can also be normal people who share their experience and how much money they earned with it.
How does this fraud work? After the first contact, the victim gets access to a website, application, or online account. On this platform, the victim sees that they are supposedly accumulating commission with every task they complete.
To gain the victim’s trust, the fraudsters sometimes pay a small amount at the beginning. Because of this, the victim gets the impression that the job is real and that the platform is reliable.
Then the trap begins. The victim must deposit their own money to:
get new tasks or tasks that supposedly pay more;
complete a balance that has gone negative;
move up to a higher level;
unlock a bonus or commission;
or withdraw the money they supposedly earned.
The amounts requested become larger each time. Often they ask for payment to be made via cryptocurrency, but they can also ask for a bank transfer or payment via another payment service.
The balance and earnings that appear on the platform are not real. When the victim wants to stop or withdraw their money, the fraudsters invent new fees, taxes, or other conditions. Finally, they cut off all contact and the victim is left with the financial loss.
Recognize the warning signs Be extra careful when:
you unexpectedly receive a job offer via WhatsApp, Telegram, or SMS;
they promise you a lot of money for very simple online tasks;
there is no clear application process, employment contract, or an employer that can be verified;
you have to pay your own money before you can start working;
they ask you to buy or send cryptocurrency;
they put you under pressure to pay immediately;
you have to keep making new deposits to receive your supposed “earnings”.
A legitimate employer never asks an employee to deposit their own money to receive salary or commission.
What should you do? Immediately stop making payments and cut off contact. Do not share identity documents, banking information, verification codes, passwords, recovery phrases, or private keys of a cryptocurrency wallet.
Save all messages, screenshots, phone numbers, wallet addresses, proof of payment, and information regarding the platform that was used.
Immediately contact your bank and file a report with the Police Force of Aruba (KPA). Also, be careful with people who subsequently offer to recover your lost money in exchange for a fee. This could be a second attempt at fraud. There are several ways criminals try to steal from individuals. Be alert to what initially seems financially attractive. Always remember that in a legitimate job, you get paid. You never have to pay your own money to receive your salary or commission.
