Fifteen Hertfordshire residents from areas including Watford have been scammed out of more than £79k by bogus job applications.
A new warning has been issued by Herts Police after fraudsters used fake adverts to target people via social media and WhatsApp.
After the victims had interacted, they were asked to make a payment to ensure the application went forward, or for the person’s bank details to set up payments, which is where the scammers could access bank accounts.
As well as in Watford, residents in Hatfield, Letchworth, Berkhamsted and Henlow fell prey to the scam, with one person from Waltham Cross losing ££37,400.
Senior Beacon Fraud Hub Manager, Elaine Crate, said: “If you receive an exciting job opportunity sent directly to you via social media you should proceed with caution, especially if you haven’t been actively looking for a job.
“It’s unusual for employment agencies to ask prospective candidates to pay fees, so if this happens make sure you thoroughly research the agency or employer.”
More information can be found on the Herts Police website.
