Protection against scams
Spot fraudulent job offers & act safely
More and more supposedly reputable job offers are circulating via WhatsApp, Telegram, Facebook, iMessage or SMS, especially in the remote space. What is offered are simple tasks like rating hotels, product data or analyzing web content, often with the promise of high pay for little effort. The reality: these offers often hide targeted data fraud.
The scheme: what is behind it?
At first glance the offers seem attractive, but in many cases they are fraudulent. The perpetrators' goal is to obtain personal data such as name, address, ID documents or bank details. In some cases, a request for payments follows later, supposedly to "activate" the job or as a "security deposit".
The fraudsters' goal:
Identity theft: ID data and addresses can be misused to open accounts or for other fraudulent activities.
Payment fraud: through alleged fees or deposits, they try to swindle money directly.
Data misuse: even without a direct payment, personal data is valuable for further fraud attempts.
How to spot fraudulent job offers:
Watch out for these warning signs:
Unusually high pay for simple tasks
Missing imprint, SSL certificate or professional website
Watch domains & channel names: almost identical to established brand names (except for tiny typos)? Be careful!
Contact only through messenger services like WhatsApp, without an official email address or imprint
Only a mobile number as contact, no company address, or a different one than listed on Google
A request to open an account, do video ID verification or send an ID copy
Lots of AI-generated images, fake employee profiles: check them via Google image search
Spelling mistakes or strikingly fast replies ("start right away")
Typical bait offers
Product analyses or product reviews
Supposedly simple review jobs used as an entry-level lure.
Pay per like
Payment for simple actions like likes or clicks, often tied to further "tasks".
Data entry & "data optimization"
Pseudo-administrative tasks that usually only serve to collect your data.
What you can do: protection and immediate steps
Do not reply and do not click any links
Block the sender (WhatsApp, Telegram, SMS, etc.)
Do not share any personal data
Have you already shared data? Block your ID or account immediately via 116 116
File a report (inform the police or consumer advice center)
What to do if you are affected?
Block your bank card and, if needed, your ID document.
Secure evidence (screenshots, chat histories, phone numbers).
Report the incident to the consumer advice center or the police.
Inform the people around you to protect others.
Stay alert and give scams no chance.
When in doubt: better to ask one time too many than to say yes one time too quickly!
You can find more information and advice at your consumer advice center or at:
Have questions about this? Get in touch with us
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