We have all received unsolicited messages from unknown numbers or calls from automated voices before in the past week. Digital scams are becoming increasingly common in recent years, as scammers use new and unsuspecting methods to find victims.
There are many different types of scams in Hong Kong. Some impersonate government officials to get personal information about you and others pretend to be your long-lost friend who has a sudden and urgent need to borrow money from you even though you “haven’t spoken in years”.
In Hong Kong, $9.1 billion was lost to employment fraud in 2023, more than twice the amount recorded in 2022. As these scams will only become more common, it’s important to learn about how new scam tactics work so you know what to avoid.
In this article, you can read about why and how scammers are reaching out to you, and the common job scams.
what is a job scam?
A job scam is when you receive an unsolicited job offer via social messaging apps like Whatsapp. You could also come across a job advertisement on social media like Facebook where strangers come together to exchange opportunities, or Instagram Stories where opportunities “disappear” in 24 hours.
Not as common, but there are also some scammers who set up fraudulent LinkedIn accounts impersonating recruiters. LinkedIn recruitment scams can be harder to check, but there are tell-tale signs when you conduct a search. For example, you will find multiple accounts with the same name and photo, but one of them looks like a brand new account with very little activity and posting history.
Very often, these “employers” offer highly attractive pay with very little time commitment from you. Most of the time, the fraudulent job allows you to work-from-home and offer fast cash jobs.
It seems too good to be true, that you can just spend one or two more hours a day online to earn some extra money, because it probably is.
The reality is that these jobs do not exist. No employers or recruitment agencies in Hong Kong require job seekers to make a deposit or transfer them money for work that has already been delivered.
There are many ways someone can try to scam you. Always be alert and stay vigilant, and always read up on the latest scam tactics from trusted news sources only.
why do scammers reach out to you and your loved ones?
Scammers do everything and anything they can for financial gains, and through illegal methods. This involves impersonating a government official or renown company, and pretending to be someone you know but have lost touch with.
There are no other reasons for why scammers reach out to you other than to cause harm to you and your loved ones. This is why it’s important to stay alert and make sure that you are not replying or responding to anyone you do not know.
how do scammers get your mobile number?
One of the most common reports that we receive from victims is how they receive a message from a scammer pretending to be a Randstad recruiter when they have not worked with us before.
In this digital age, our mobile numbers can easily be found online. No matter how careful we are with sharing it only with people we have met in real life, we can also be victims of information leak.
Scammers can buy your data from the dark web from previous data leaks (no matter how long ago that may be) or have scam farms that use programming language to constantly send messages to randomised numbers until someone replies.
At Randstad, we comply with PDPA regulations to ensure that your data is always safe with us. We also transparently communicate any changes to our data collection and management with our digital users to comply with regulations and to give you a sense of security.
common types of job scams
Most job scams happen on messaging and social media platforms, but there are some that take place over phone calls. Here are some of the common types of fraudulent jobs:
- review products or companies online to boost sales and popularity of a retail outlet (known as click farming)
- online shopping that requires job seekers to “pay first and claim later”
- translate documents or words for a very lucrative pay
1. impersonating as an employer or recruiter on whatsapp and SMS
Most of the time, scammers pretend to represent a renowned company, recruitment agency or government body on Whatsapp or other messaging platforms.
In these text messages, they will introduce themselves as someone with a highly lucrative job opportunity to find out if you’re interested. Here are some of the common jobs that are offered
Here’s how you can tell if they are a scammer:
- Job descriptions are short and unclear
- The job is completely remote, and you can work from your mobile or laptop
- They refuse to meet you in person
- No qualifications are necessary
- They do not answer the phone or return the call when you try to call them
- The number of the sender is not from where you are based, and are often from a country in another Asia country, Middle East, Africa or South America
Here’s how to report a job scam in Hong Kong when you receive such messages:
- Stop all communication and do not respond to the message
- Report and block the user directly on the same platform that they messaged you in
If you have already shared your personal data or transferred money to the scammer, make a report with the police who will be able to guide you on your next steps.
It is not always possible for you to recover the data or financial losses, so it’s important to manage your expectations and seek support from your family and community.
2. fraudulent job advertisements on social media
Have you ever seen Instagram Stories or Facebook posts from someone who is not on your following list about a very attractive job?
Instead of being directed to the job advertisement on a credible website, you can only connect with them on Whatsapp or SMS to find out more about the job.
Here’s what you can do once you see these advertisements or posts:
- Do not interact or engage with the advertisements or posts
- Report and block the advertisement directly on the same platform that you’ve seen it
At Randstad, our talent consultants are always happy to meet you in person and will use a Randstad email address to reach out. Meeting our candidates in person doesn’t just help you feel assured when looking for a job, but it also helps us understand your career aspirations better so that we can do our best to find you an organisation and boss that fits you the best.
always stay vigilant
Scammers change their tactics all the time. Once they have your phone number, they will be able to reach out to you for different scams as well. It could be a job scam today and a love scam tomorrow.
There is currently no way for us to catch the scammers and we leave those responsibilities to the capable hands of our police and government authorities. While they work so that we can sleep soundly at night, it’s important that we all stay vigilant.
If you are unsure about an unsolicited text message, then it’s probably a scam! If you receive phone calls from a number that you are not familiar with, do not pick it up! It’s always better to be safe than sorry.
Like the Millennials and Gen Zers always say, “If someone is urgently trying to reach me, they will call me again soon.” Sometimes, we can learn from the younger generations.
work directly with our specialised recruiters
Looking for a job? No matter your reason — whether you’re looking for a change or returning from a break — our specialist talent consultants are here to help. Simply browse our current job listings or login to your My Randstad account to upload a new CV.
If your skills and experience meet our clients’ hiring requirements, our consultants will reach out to you directly. You can always request a face-to-face meeting with our recruiters to feel more assured as well.