Scam: Financial Agents – Beware of quick, easy money

“Best earning opportunity with little work” – criminals use such job offers to lure their victims. On job boards, websites or via email, they pose as representatives of seemingly reputable “financial management companies” or similar.

The Federal Criminal Police Office and the state criminal investigation offices strongly warn against dubious job offers and additional income opportunities in which unknown companies are looking for so-called financial agents.

Current developments show that more and more citizens are falling for the scam without being aware of the consequences. The financial agents are not only deprived of their own money, they also face criminal charges on suspicion of money laundering.

The aim of the fraudsters is to convince unsuspecting account holders to work as so-called financial agents.

The different approaches used by the perpetrators and information can be found on the police prevention page: https://www.polizei-beratung.de/themen-und-tipps/betrug/finanzagenten/

“Product test” variant: 27-year-old woman from Lüneburg falls victim to the scam

The perpetrators pretend to be looking for appropriate testers for product testing, who will then test and evaluate a banking app, for example. The perpetrators provide the testers with all relevant data (access data, etc.). The testers then use this “test” to create the bank account, but still assume that this is a product test and do not notice that the bank account has actually fallen into the hands of perpetrators.

Back in February, a 27-year-old woman from Lüneburg became aware of a job offer through an advertisement on eBay classifieds. This offer was about a part-time job in which you were supposed to test procedures. During an email conversation, the 27-year-old was told that she should test some contractual partners, in this case banks. She was instructed by a person she did not know. It was explained to her that after the order had been successfully completed, the account would be automatically deleted by the company.

Using the video identification process, the 27-year-old opened a total of three accounts at different banks, which were then used by the perpetrators for fraudulent activities in online shops and for transfers. In this case, the perpetrators used the account created in their name at the credit bank to create fake shops on the Internet. Unsuspecting buyers deposited their purchase price into this account. They have not received the products.

The 27-year-old was the victim of job scamming. The material damage is several hundred euros.

What can you do, what should you pay attention to?

  • Don't let the presentation fool you. The best protection is a healthy degree of suspicion and caution - check relevant advertisements, for example via Internet search engines.
  • Basic rule: The more tempting the offer, the more critical you should be.
  • What should your specific “work assignment” be? Does that make sense and logic?
  • Do not provide your address or account to any other company or person via the Internet or telephone.
  • Do not send a copy of your ID to any other company or person.
  • Do not be intimidated by possible threats to comply with your “employment contract”.
  • If you have accepted such or a similar offer, inform the police immediately and do not forward any funds that have already been credited to your account.

You might also be interested in: Warning about romance or love scamming

Source: Press portal


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