“Marie” took an online job – was cheated out of thousands of kroner

Job advertisements in social media, that you can earn easy money from home, have attracted many Swedes. But in fact, they are scam companies that take instead of giving you money.
“Marie” was cheated of almost 200,000 kroner.

– So I have rarely experienced such shame. I didn’t walk out the door and think I was a total complete idiot who could do this, she says.

Hundreds of Swedes testify in a closed FB group about how they were deceived by job advertisements in social media. The work consists of leaving fake reviews on, for example, products or hotels. To do so, you need to make your own deposits on the site, and the money seems to grow after each review that is made.

The companies appear credible, often with borrowed names, official documents and telephone contact with coaches. The fraudsters use all possible methods to get you to deposit more money. One of those who have been deceived is “Marie”, whose real name is something else.

– So I have rarely experienced such shame. I didn’t walk out the door thinking I was a total complete idiot to do this.

Threats appeared

For her, the threats appeared via phone calls from hidden numbers, but also via messages in encrypted Whatsapp chats – which then immediately disappeared.

– They knew things about me that I would never have told. Where my child went to school somewhere, they told me to be careful.

The police’s National Fraud Center is aware of the phenomenon of fraudsters swindling money in this way, but says it is relatively new. Last year, about ten reports came in to the police – but the number of people in the dark is believed to be large.

– I think it’s because you think you’ve been stupid for doing this and feel ashamed, and that you don’t even want to report it to the police, says Lotta Mauritzson, crime prevention officer at the police’s national fraud centre.

The scam companies usually communicate via encrypted chats and payment in cryptocurrency is common. And the police give clear advice.

Strong warning signal

– If someone claims that you have to pay to be able to do a job, that is a strong warning signal. This is a form of organized crime that they are doing.

– The fraudsters’ best trick is to put you in a stressful situation, so that you feel that you have to act here and now. Then it is very important that you take a step back, says Lotta Mauritzson.

The sums that victims were cheated on range from a few thousand Swedish kroner to several hundred thousand. In “Marie’s” case, it was the next 200,000 kroner and she has no hope of getting the money back.

– I have put myself in a financial debt that is extremely difficult to get out of. I get the feeling that why I’m doing this is to warn others. Because it is very easy to end up in these clutches, she says.