348 Hongkongers, including 50 students, fell victim to fake online job ads in May
- Police advise students who are interested in finding summer jobs to be wary of falling into ‘click farming’ trap
Nearly 350 Hongkongers, including about 50 students, fell prey to fake online job offers in May, marking the highest number of such cases in a single month.
Police said on Wednesday that reports of online employment fraud soared to 348 last month, a 60 per cent increase from the 217 logged in April. The force did not reveal financial losses involved.
Officers handled 553 online job scam reports in the first three months of this year, with financial losses amounting to HK$154 million (US$19.7 million).
“Among the victims in May, students were the most affected group, with about 50 of them falling victim to bogus job offers,” police said in a post on their CyberDefender Facebook page.
Police warned residents to be wary of job offers, especially those purporting to provide attractive salaries but not stating any requirements in terms of academic qualifications or work experience.
“As the summer holiday approaches, students who are interested in finding summer jobs need to be cautious, to avoid falling into the trap of ‘click farming’”, the force said.