Recently, scammers have discovered a new range of prey through Uloop. Uloop is an “online marketplace for college life”. It claims to have more than 2 million postings, while reaching more than 1,500 college & university campuses with their online classified ads. However, the service provided by Uloop has been taken advantage of by scammers across the globe. Uloop is not the culprit in this new younger adult-targeted scam. It is the “Home Concept” company, seeking a young adult to fill the position of Bookeeper by phishing for private information, that runs afoul in this scenario.
Over the last week, a college student presented the Troup County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigative Division with what appears to be the format of the latest trickery. Responding to an ad for a “Bookeeping/Office Assistant Position”, the inquiring student in turn receives an email from someone claiming to be a “Representative” of an “Investment Company” that placed the classified ad.
The “Job Description” explains, in great detail, the services it provides through remodeling projects and new construction on homes and garages. The email goes on to say that the “Representative” plays the role of a “Medium” by linking suppliers and buyers, both inside and outside the United States, yielding the “Representative” a 20% profit.
Further, the “Representative goes on to say that he is constantly on the move organizing seminars, ultimately joining buyers and suppliers together. At this point, the “Representative” begins to bait the student into his deceit by explaining “that is why an Administrative Assistant is needed to complete billings, invoices and transactions to make this medium effective.” The “Representative” then offers 10% of processed transactions, plus a continuous $3,000.00 per month in total transactions. Sounds great, right?!?!?!
As we looked over the emails, a few “Red Flags” popped out at our Investigators. First, there are numerous misspellings and odd combinations of words that would make an entire paragraph (or email) read awkwardly, at best. This should tip the student off, right away, as to the entire classified job ad being a sinister hoax. We have seen this same type of pattern in many of the “Nigerian Email Scams”.
This particular phishing scam culminates in the “Representative” asking for personal information to ensure that the college student has a serious interest in working for his company (Liberty Home Concepts). He informs the student that there are several people interested in the same position with his company; therefore, he must test each applicant to see who is the most qualified.
The test includes a check being sent to the college student, to be deposited into his/her personal bank account for no less than 24 hours. The funds from the check are to be withdrawn “first thing tomorrow morning”, minus the 10% salary he promised the student would receive. Finally, the student is to send the rest of the funds in cash via MoneyGram Transfer to yet another individual.
After all is said and done, the college student has given up his/her personal information, banking information and made a financial transaction with funds from an unknown source. Scary to think it is still possible in our day and time, that this type of scam still occurs. Fact is, whenever phishing scammers fail to receive any “bites” in one “pond”… They simply move to another “phishing hole”.
Be vigilant! Pass this information along to college students in your family, and educate the younger ones following them in graduation over the next few years. If someone solicits you by email, or phone, for personal/banking information, do not respond! Delete emails with links to other (Unknown) sources. If you are looking for a job through an online source, ask for & check references on your prospective employer to ensure that they are on the up-and-up, before you begin corresponding with information about yourself. Finally, if you feel you have fallen victim to this type of scam, please call 911 to make a report. Should you have any further questions regarding a phishing scam, you can call the Criminal Investigative Division of the Troup County Sheriff’s Office at (706)883-1616.
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