Warning to West Yorkshire teenagers over TikTok scam to make 'easy money'
Police have issued a warning over a social media scam targeting teenagers in West Yorkshire.
Fraud protection specialists in West Yorkshire Police’s Economic Crime Unit have recently seen reports from youngsters who have been conned out of hundreds of pounds or tricked into ‘money muling’ - laundering criminal funds through their own bank accounts – on the promise of easy money.
The scammers place ‘job adverts’ on social media, generally on TikTok, to make initial contact with victims before they are invited into a Whatsapp chat.
They provide their bank details and are paid a small amount, normally £5, for liking an online video before the conversation moves to messaging service Telegram.
They are then given ‘jobs’ as either traders or cashiers.
Traders are asked to complete several tasks earning £2-3 each time and their earnings appear to be accumulated in an investment or cryptocurrency account.
In order the receive the funds they must pay a release fee of between £80 and £300 to account details provided by the fraudsters.
Some victims have made two or three payments before they realise they have been tricked.
Cashiers are encouraged to provide their bank account details and falsely believe they are working for TikTok.
They receive funds, which appear to be the ‘release fees’ paid by other victims, before passing these onto the fraudsters’ accounts, while also paying £5 ‘reward’ payments to unsuspecting victims joining the scam.
Allowing their accounts to be used in this way constitutes money muling, which is a criminal offence with serious consequences.
Detective Inspector Chris Lord, of the Economic Crime Unit, said: “As always, if an offer sounds too good to be true then it’s usually a scam.
“Online fraudsters have continued to become increasingly sophisticated in the ways that they target victims, particularly under-18s, to gain their trust and trick them into parting with their money or allowing their bank accounts to be used to launder criminal funds.
“Under-18s can spend a lot of their time on social media where they can be impressed by stories of influencers and others making money online.
These scams lure them in on the promise of easy money but prey on them and leave them significantly out of pocket or at risk of further consequences.
“We urge under-18s and their parents or carers to be alive to the risks of such scams and to steer well clear and avoid being taken in.”
Incidents can be reported to Report Fraud, the UK’s national reporting centre for cyber crime and fraud, on 0300 123 2040 or by visiting its website.
Further advice on fraud and financial crime is also available at West Yorkshire Police fraud page.