FBI Issues Warning to Americans, Says Fake Job Advertisements Force Victims to Commit Crypto Scams

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is issuing a warning to Americans about fake job advertisements that harass applicants into committing crypto fraud.

According to a new public service announcement from the FBI, false job advertisements linked to labor trafficking compounds in Southeast Asia are using employment fraud schemes to lure people, hold them against their will and intimidate them into committing crypto fraud.

“Criminal actors target victims, primarily in Asia, in employment fraud schemes by posting false job advertisements on social media and online employment sites.

The schemes cover a wide range of opportunities, to include tech support, call center customer service, and beauty salon technicians. Job seekers are offered competitive salaries, lucrative benefits, paid travel expenses as well as room and board. Often throughout the process, the location for the position is shifted from the advertised location.

Upon job seekers’ arrival in the foreign country, criminal actors use multiple means to coerce them to commit cryptocurrency investment schemes, such as confiscation of passports and travel documents, threat of violence, and use of violence.”

To control the victims, the bad actors impose fake debt on them and use the threat of possible jail time.

“Criminal actors assign debts to victims under the guise of travel fees and room and board, and use victims’ mounting debt and fear of local law enforcement as additional means to control victims. Trafficked victims are sometimes sold and transferred between compounds, further adding to their debt.”

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