Tamil Nadu Police-Cyber Crime alert public on fake part-time data entry job racket and companies asking for money to join job offers.
Coimbatore: Freelancing is a form of self-employment, where companies or individuals offer projects.
Freelancers who take up the offer can work as a contractor and choose their own work timings. Many freelancing jobs are available on the internet. Fraudsters are using this concept to cheat people especially those who have submitted their resume in various job search portals.
Tactics of Cyber Criminals:
1) Scammers will send SMS, e-mail or call the job seekers stating that they are offering data entry jobs. Sometimes they will use attractive websites.
2) Initially, they collect small amounts as registration fees and ask for educational qualification certificates and ID proof of the worker. They will also send an agreement letter which must be signed by the job seeker and sent back to the company.
3) They will provide some handwritten notes or old books to type in MS Word file to the fraudster through mail.
4) Once the freelancer completes the work, he will send the file to the fraudster through mail.
5) The fraudster will send a report that the MS-Word file has so many mistakes, and also saying that he wasted their time. For that the freelancer will be asked pay a few thousand rupees as fine. If he refuses to pay that money, they will send a fake FIR or notice to the freelancer. To avoid legal consequences, the victim ends up sending money.
Suggested Precautions:
1) Check background verification of the company while you are choosing a freelancing project.
2) Read the documents which you are signing.
3) You should not have to pay money to get a legitimate job. You don’t need to pay the fine.
4) If you are affected by this scam, report the same on https://cybercrime .gov.in/
5) To report financial frauds, call 155260