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By Kevon Browne
St. Kitts and Nevis (WINN): The White Collar Crime Unit (WCCU) of the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force, in collaboration with the Financial Services Regulatory Commission (FSRC) and the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU), advises the public to be wary of job scams on websites and social media platforms.
These scams often target individuals seeking remote work or additional income outside of their full-time jobs.
Authorities have noted an increasing number of incidents of individuals responding to job ads on Facebook offering high salaries for simple tasks such as typing, preparing correspondence or data entry.
Victims are often told they have been offered a job without any screening or interview and are then asked to provide personal information, including bank details, to the alleged employer.
Common red flags of job scams:
– Communicate only through social media: Scammers communicate only through direct messages on social media, distributing tasks and payment details without any verbal or face-to-face interaction.
– Unusual payment methods: Payments are often made via wire transfers or mobile transactions with instructions to forward part of the payment to others via money transfers.
– Immediate Withdrawal: Victims were instructed to withdraw their funds immediately after receiving the transferred funds.
– Requests for personal information: Scammers will ask for sensitive personal information, including bank details, before sending an official employment confirmation.
– Lack of company details: Scammers do not provide standard business details such as a company website, social media pages, or a physical address.
– Phishing Emails: Job ads may contain phishing emails that require access to a link, which may lead to unauthorized access to personal devices and information.
Legal implications:
The public is reminded that any funds obtained through these scams and subsequently used are considered money laundering. Section 4(2) of the Proceeds of Crime Act, Chapter 4.28 (POCA) provides that a person is involved in money laundering if the person knows or ought to know that the money or property is derived from criminal activity.
What to do if you are a victim:
Anyone who has received funds through a job search scam should contact WCCU immediately.
Avoid using funds derived from these activities as failure to report these funds may result in money laundering charges and associated penalties under section 4(1) of the Proceeds of Crime Act.
contact information:
– Email: wccu@police.kn or jerry.watt@police.kn
– Tel: 467-1952/3/4 or 662-4723
The public is encouraged to remain vigilant and verify the legitimacy of job offers.
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