The White-Collar Crime Unit (WCCU) of the Royal St. Christopher-Nevis Police Force, the Financial Services Regulatory Commission (FSRC), and the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) are warning the public about Job Search Scams that are being promoted online through websites and social media platforms.
These scams target individuals looking for work-from-home opportunities or ways to earn extra income on top of their full-time jobs. Local authorities have become aware of people responding to job ads on Facebook offering “unusually high” or “unrealistic” pay for minimal tasks like typing, preparing correspondence, or data entry. These individuals are then told they have been hired without any screening or interview and are asked to provide personal information, including banking details, to the supposed “employer.”
Some common red flags associated with these scams include:
– Communication only through social media direct messages, with tasks and payment details distributed this way and no verbal or face-to-face communication.
– Payment for services via wire transfers and mobile transactions, with individuals then instructed to send a portion of the payment to others via money remitters.
– Instructions to immediately withdraw the transferred money from their accounts.
– Requests for personal information, including banking details, before providing an official confirmation of employment for the advertised job.
– Lack of normal business details such as a company website, social media page, or physical address in the job advertisement.
– Phishing emails that prompt recipients to access a link which can result in unauthorized access to personal devices and information.
Remember, if something seems too good to be true, it probably is! Stay vigilant!
The public is advised that any money obtained from these scams and subsequently used is considered money laundering. Section 4(2) of the Proceeds of Crime Act, Cap 4.28 (POCA) states that a person engages in money laundering if they know or ought to reasonably have known that the money or other property obtained, directly or indirectly, was derived from criminal activity.
Anyone who has received funds via a Job Search Scam as described above should immediately contact the WCCU via email at wccu@police.kn or jerry.watt@police.kn, or via telephone at 467-1952/3/4 or 662-4723.
Individuals are strongly urged to abstain from using the funds derived from these activities. Failure to report these activities could result in a money laundering charge and the penalties outlined in Section 4(1) of the POCA.