Looking for your dream job on Indeed? Wait a second!
Before you apply, be careful. Scammers are now using this platform to trick people. They use WhatsApp to reach out to you, pretending to be from Indeed or a renowned company.
Shocked? But it’s true, as multiple cases are reported every day for the Indeed WhatsApp scam.
So, before you click any link or share your details, make sure you know how this new scam works. Stay alert and stay safe!
Indeed WhatsApp Scam Call
This scam generally starts from a call on WhatsApp and many times with one simple message, claiming to be the HR of a reputed company high-paying job, quick hiring, or easy work-from-home tasks.
But here is the truth, those calls and messages are not only fake but intended to steal away your data & personal details.
In simple terms, these messages are part of a well-planned fraud, and depending on the scammer’s intention, the outcomes can vary, from data theft to blackmail.
How Indeed WhatsApp Scams are Operated?
Indeed WhatsApp scam can be way more dangerous than one can think. Below are the three versions by which scammers can trick you on WhatsApp by using data and details available on Indeed.
1. Malware Installation Scam
“Congratulations, as per your profile on Indeed, you have been shortlisted for our upcoming project at Amazon. Please click on the link below to register for the internal training program.”
Tempting offer, right?
Who doesn’t want to be a part of one of the renowned and top-notch companies of the world?
Without thinking much, most people, who might include you, would click on such links, and tadaa, you have installed a malicious software in your device and unknowingly given access to your phone to scammers.
They can then use these details to hijack your bank account and to steal other private information.
2. Upfront Payment Scam
Now, to install malware, one must be tech-savvy; however, if one is not, they can still trick you directly by asking for upfront payment.
First, they gain your trust by contacting you from a fake WhatsApp ID with the DP including the logo of a renowned company. They then provide your offer letter along with the joining date.
Once they make the recruitment look genuine, they then ask for upfront payment, in the name of the security deposit, training fees, or processing fees.
Job-seekers seeing such a dream opportunity in hand, often skip doing verification and end up paying a huge amount to scammers, only to realize that they have been scammed.
3. WhatsApp Video Call Scam
This is one of the most dangerous tricks scammers use after stealing your details from job sites like Indeed.
They send you a message, pretending to be a recruiter trick you through WhatsApp interview scams.
When you join the call, the screen suddenly goes black, and after a few seconds, they play inappropriate or disturbing videos.
Soon after, the scammer blackmails you, demanding a large amount of money and threatening to leak the video online, claiming it shows you in that situation.
Out of fear and shame, many people end up paying, falling into deep emotional and social stress.
How to Identify a Scammer on WhatsApp?
No doubt, an offer letter or just a call from any company, at the time you are looking for a job desperately, might block logical thinking.
But a few key checkpoints can prevent you from getting scammed.
Here are some of those red flags that you must watch out for:
- Getting random WhatsApp job messages.
- Recruiter asking you to download any apk or an unknown file.
- Asking for upfront fees for hiring
- Poor grammar in messages
- Creating urgency
Conclusion
In today’s time, where smartphones have made our lives simpler, at the same time, it has increased the risk of getting scammed.
Hence, it is not the time to be overconfident about, ‘Can you get scammed on WhatsApp’, instead, it’s the time to be more aware and learn from other mistakes.
So, next time you get any message or call with a job offer, don’t avoid checking and verifying details before clicking on any link.
