10.06.2025 - Last week, the NCSC saw a rise in reports of fraudulent job offers. Criminals are luring job seekers in with the promise of easy online work, such as product reviews or game testing. These offers can be tempting because they seem to offer easy money and flexible working hours, but the scammers’ real aim is to steal your money or personal information. In some cases, the losses can be substantial: one victim lost almost CHF 80'000 – their entire life savings.
While unexpected job offers in your inbox may seem appealing, they are often part of an elaborate scam. Typically, victims are asked to log into a website and carry out simple tasks, such as reviewing products, testing apps, playing games or doing other small jobs. Scammers often claim to be working on behalf of well-known companies such as Manor, Zalando or About You.
In one case where the victim lost almost CHF 80,000, everything started out looking like a legitimate remote position at a travel agency. They were asked to put together travel packages and promised a commission for each task they complete. Their earnings were displayed on the company’s platform – but the money could not actually be withdrawn. Each time the victim tried to access the money they had earned, they were told that they needed to deposit more of their own money to activate the withdrawal feature. Each time the victim met the scammers’ demands, the scammers came up with a new fee. Over the course of five months, the victim paid the scammers nearly CHF 80,000 in fake fees.
These websites often look so professional that it’s hard to tell they’re scams, which makes it easier to convince people they’ve landed a legitimate job. But the seemingly simple jobs being offered can also be used to collect your personal information – or even to draw you unknowingly into illegal activities like money laundering.
How to spot fake job offers
- Unsolicited offers that seem too good to be true: Exercise caution if you receive an unexpected job offer, especially if the conditions seem too good to be true.
- Vague job or company descriptions: Do your homework on the company making the offer. Check if they really exist and look for independent reviews or reports. Don’t rely solely on the information provided by the recruiter.
- Promises of high earnings for little effort or without requiring qualifications: Be very wary of job offers that promise unusually high pay for little work. This is a key warning sign that you are dealing with a scam.
- Pressure to act quickly or make upfront payments or investments to start the job or get paid: Never pay money upfront to get a job or ‘unlock’ payment features. Legitimate employers never ask their employees for money.
- Requirement to use an obscure website for all tasks and communication: Make sure the company communicates professionally and provides official contact details (e.g. a website or email address).
- You are asked to provide sensitive personal information: Trust your instincts: if something does not feel right, proceed with caution.
- Requests to use personal bank accounts or crypto wallets for supposed work tasks (e.g. money transfers): Never use your personal bank account or crypto wallet for work-related tasks or financial transactions.
Now that remote working using online platforms has become so common, it is especially important to stay alert when you notice several warning signs or receive particularly concerning demands, such as requests for upfront payments.
Recommendations
- Break off all contact with the scammers immediately. Do not respond to any messages or calls.
- If you used the same password on the scam website as on other accounts, or if you gave your password to the scammers, change it on all your accounts right away.
- If you have shared financial information, made payments or given access to your accounts, contact your bank or crypto wallet provider immediately.
- Make sure you save all available evidence of the scam, such as emails, chat logs, screenshots of the platform, website addresses and transaction details.
- Report the incident to the police.
Current statistics
Last week's reports by category:
Last modification 10.06.2025
