Warning about video identification in application processes. When looking for their dream job, applicants are asked by their supposed new employer to identify themselves using a video identification process.
A warning message from the Brandenburg Consumer Center eV
In these cases, they actually use the procedure to open an account that can be misused for criminal purposes, for example fake shops. What sounds like the plot of a crime film is actually a scam that is currently being reported to the market watchdog team from Brandenburg via the nationwide early warning network of consumer advice centers.
The case of a Berlin woman shows how quickly things can happen: She came across a supposed advertisement from Deutsche Bahn for a position as a “graphic artist and web designer working from home” on a job placement portal and applied. She received positive feedback within a few hours. The alleged employer asked the applicant to verify her identity with a partner bank before starting the job. Since the position is in high demand, this must be done immediately. To verify her identity, the consumer first sent pictures of her ID card and a photo of herself with the ID card, as requested. In a second step, she went through a video identification process from the specified partner bank.
Such a procedure is used by reputable banks to open accounts online. In a video chat, consumers hold their ID documents up to the camera to identify themselves, thereby saving themselves a trip to the branch. In the case of the applicant, the alleged employer had apparently initiated the opening of the account in her name in advance with false contact details. Since he assured the Berlin woman that the account was only used to establish her identity and would then be deleted immediately, she completed the account opening using the video identification process. She only found out that the account remained open through letters from the bank. At this point, unknown people had already transferred amounts of money through it.
MISUSE OF PERSONAL DATA
“Using ID and bank accounts allows fraudsters to do a lot of damage online. The accounts could, for example, be used to operate so-called fake shops,” reports Ulrike Bodenstein from the market watchdog Digitale Welt at the Brandenburg Consumer Center. Fake shops offer goods that the operators don't even own. Victims usually paid in advance but never received the goods.
In this context, the bank account opened in the name of the unsuspecting applicant can be used to receive payments. The operators remain completely anonymous because the imprint is either not available or is fake. If those affected by the fake shop discover that they have been cheated, the alleged account holder is ultimately the only contact person. Civil lawsuits for repayment of the money could result - the outcome is uncertain.
“We consider video or post-identification procedures as part of an application to be critical. We assume a risk for consumers, especially if there is no personal contact with the potential employer,”
said Bodenstein. Consumers who have carried out such an identification process as part of an application should contact the relevant bank as soon as possible if there are any irregularities and have the account blocked. also report their complaints to the market watchdog Digitale Welt here [ 2 For individual help, you can contact the consumer advice centers. An overview of the advice centers can be found at.
Consumers receive individual advice
– in the consumer advice centers, make an appointment on 0331 / 98 22 999 5 (Mon to Fri, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.) or online at www.vzb.de/termine ,
– on the advice line at 09001 / 775 770 (Mon to Fri, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m p.m., 1 €/min ad German landline, mobile differs) as well
– via email advice at www.vzb.de/emailberatung .
About the Digital World Market Watchdog
The Digital World Market Watchdog is an early warning system with which the Federal Association of Consumer Organizations (vzbv) and the consumer advice centers observe and analyze the digital market from the perspective of consumers. This work is based on consumer complaints, empirical studies and an online portal. The Digital World market watchdog can also be used to support supervisory and regulatory authorities such as the Federal Network Agency (BNetzA) in their work. The Digital World market watchdog is made up of five focus consumer centers, each of which examines an area of action in the digital market in more detail: Bavaria - Digital Services, Brandenburg - Digital Goods Purchasing, North Rhine-Westphalia - User-Generated Content, Rhineland Palatinate - Digital Goods and Schleswig Holstein - Telecommunications Services. The Digital World market watchdog is financially supported by the Federal Ministry of Justice and Consumer Protection (BMJV). www.marktwaechter.de/digitalewelt
About the Consumer Center Brandenburg eV
The Consumer Center Brandenburg eV (VZB) is the most important representation of the interests of Brandenburg consumers towards politics and business.
It offers independent consumer advice, information and education on numerous topics: market & law, travel & leisure, finance & insurance, food & nutrition, digital & telecommunications, energy, building & living. She also advises on German-Polish consumer law. In addition, the VZB warns companies that violate applicable law to the detriment of consumers and informs the public about consumer rights, rip-off scams and savings tips.
Current information is available at www.verbraucherzentrale-brandenburg.de
Funded by the Ministry of Justice and for Europe and Consumer Protection
Please note that the message reflects the situation at the time of publication.
Notes:
1) This content reflects the current state of affairs at the time of publication. The reproduction of individual images, screenshots, embeds or video sequences serves to discuss the topic. 2) Individual contributions were created through the use of machine assistance and were carefully checked by the Mimikama editorial team before publication. ( Reason )