People should protect their personal and bank account information when looking for jobs, as employment scams are frequently reported, the Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB) said yesterday.
Taking advantage of job seekers’ pressure, fraud rings might use all means to trick people into revealing bank or credit card account numbers, or even hold them hostage, the CIB said in a statement.
A woman surnamed Chung (鍾), 20, in July saw an advertisement on a jobseekers’ Facebook page and contacted the employer via Line.
Photo: CNA
Chung was told to bring her identification card, National Health Insurance (NHI) card, bank passbook and ATM card to an interview at a hotel in Taipei.
Upon entering the hotel room, she was threatened by five or six men to hand over her phone and the cards, and to tell them her card and phone PIN numbers and online bank account password.
She was released five days later with her belongings, except for the bank passbook and the ATM card.
Chung only realized that she had fallen victim to an employment scam after being informed by the police that her bank account was marked as high-risk.
Separately, a substitute teacher surnamed Hung (洪) saw an advertisement for an amateur model job in a Facebook group, and contacted the employer to inquire about the salary.
She added the company’s official Line account and was persuaded to buy clothes for the job, but had to pay up to NT$70,000 in customs shipping fees.
She realized she had been duped after her contact disappeared with the money, so she reported it to the police.
Arranging a fake interview to obtain identification cards and bank passbooks is a common method used by employment scammers, the CIB said.
When seeking employment, people should make sure that the company is registered and legal, and they should tell family members or friends before going to an interview, it said.
People should not lend or sell their identification cards, bank passbooks or passwords, or give them to suspicious individuals, it said.
A “high-paid, easy” position is usually a scam, it said, adding that people should not pay unclear fees or sign questionable contracts.
People should pay attention to whether the location of the interview and the job position is consistent, it added.
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