{"type":"document","data":{"id":"863303d3-ee87-4cb4-880d-7670b576b915","localeString":"en-GB","publishDate":"2025-08-21T08:24:00.300+02:00","contentType":"onecms:editorialPage","hasMacro":false,"flexPageMetadata":{"afmBanner":false,"robotInstruction":{"noIndex":false,"noFollow":false},"description":"The recruitment of money mules has reached a new level with fake job offers."},"mainHeaderZone":{"componentType":"editorialHeader","coreHeader":{"title":"Job scam","subtitle":"Beware of fake job offers","body":"Fraudsters need intermediaries to transfer the money they steal from their victims. These intermediaries, known as money mules, will use their bank accounts to launder the stolen funds and allow the fraudster to remain hidden. The recruitment of money mules has reached a new level with fake job offers. Recognize the signs and don't become a money mule!"},"backLink":{"textLink":{"url":"/en/individuals/fraud-and-security/online-fraud","text":"Online fraud"}},"date":"2025-08-21","readingTime":5},"flexZone":{"flexComponents":[{"componentType":"sectionTitle","title":"A job offer to earn some money as a freelancer"},{"componentType":"paragraph","richBody":{"value":"<p>Your phone is ringing. You&apos;ve just received a WhatsApp message from someone you don&apos;t know. You&apos;ve been offered a paid part-time job. Your actions? Start by following posts on Instagram, YouTube, or TikTok. Sometimes you leave a &apos;like&apos;. Then, you&apos;re offered to transfer sums of money. Small amounts to start with, then larger ones. Without realizing it, you&apos;ve just become a money mule.</p>"}},{"componentType":"sectionTitle","title":"A training proposal to invest in cryptocurrencies"},{"componentType":"paragraph","richBody":{"value":"<p>We also received reports for another form of this fraud: a training offer to invest in cryptocurrencies. The training is paid, however, you must commit to investing the amount of this compensation in your first crypto investment. Once the training is completed, you are guided to open a cryptocurrency wallet. Then you will receive sums of money daily to invest in a different wallet. The code is transmitted in the WhatsApp or Telegram group and the entire group must make the same investment. In other words, launder the sums received from the fraudster in cryptocurrencies.</p>"}},{"componentType":"sectionTitle","title":"The characteristics of this fraud"},{"componentType":"paragraph","richBody":{"value":"<p>Job offers can vary, but there are two things that can alert you to fraud:</p><ul><li>An unsolicited offer that comes via social media or messaging services like WhatsApp or Telegram</li><li>You receive small amounts of money to be transferred or converted into cryptocurrency</li></ul><p>This last element is the most important. Transferring money received from a stranger to another person or cryptocurrency is prohibited by law. It constitutes money laundering.</p>"}},{"componentType":"highlight","title":"What to do if you receive a fake job offer?","richBody":{"value":"<ol><li><span><span>Do not respond to a job offer that arrives on social media or emails if you did not request it.</span></span></li><li><span><span>Report the profile as fraudulent to the platform on which the offer arrived.</span></span></li><li><span><span>Never accept sums of money to be transferred to another account or invested in cryptocurrency.</span></span></li><li><span><span>Alert your bank immediately if you have fallen into a scam.</span></span></li></ol>"},"textLinks":[{"url":"/en/individuals/fraud-and-security/online-fraud/report-fraud","text":"This is how you can contact us"}]}]},"complementaryZone":{"flexComponents":[{"componentType":"sectionTitle","title":"Also interesting!"},{"componentType":"cards","cards":[{"componentType":"articleCard","cardType":"article","cardSize":"medium","title":"Money mules","body":"Lending your bank account and debit card for money is illegal.","image":{"transformBaseUrl":"https://assets.ing.com/transform/9ac27b53-7b63-4f54-a2cc-19bddb186329/Group-of-people-holding-a-man-s-dreadlocks-in-front-of-their-faces","type":"image","width":5760,"altTextEN":"\"\"","altTextNL":"\"\"","altTextFR":"\"\"","altTextDE":"\"\"","original":"https://assets.ing.com/m/52cfe84d79d0891a/original/Group-of-people-holding-a-man-s-dreadlocks-in-front-of-their-faces.jpg","extension":"jpg"},"date":"2024-09-10","link":{"url":"/en/individuals/fraud-and-security/online-fraud/money-mules"}},{"componentType":"articleCard","cardType":"article","cardSize":"medium","title":"Investment fraud","body":"Beware of false adverts! 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