General Public Advisory

The White-Collar Crime Unit (WCCU) of the Royal St. Christopher-Nevis Police Force, the Financial Services Regulatory Commission (FSRC), and the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) are advising the general public to be aware of Job Search Scams being offered online through websites and social media platforms.  These scams specifically target and take advantage of persons interested in opportunities to work from home or those interested in earning extra funds in addition to their full-time employment.

The local authorities have been made aware of persons who have responded to job advertisements posted on Facebook for ‘unusually high’ or ‘unrealistic’ wages for minimal tasks or jobs such as typing, preparing correspondence, or data entry.  Such persons would be informed that they have successfully obtained employment without any screening or an interview and are required to provide their personal information including banking details to the ‘employer’.

Some of the red flags that have been observed to be associated with these scams include:

• The perpetrators use social media direct messages only to communicate, distribute tasks, and provide payment details without any verbal or face-to-face communication.
• Persons receive payment for services through wire transfers and mobile transactions.  The persons are then instructed to forward a portion of their payment to other individuals via money remitters.
• Persons are instructed to withdraw the money immediately after it is transferred into their account.
• The perpetrators would request personal information, including banking details, from victims before sending them an official confirmation of employment for the advertised job.
• The perpetrators do not share normal details such as a company website, social media page, or physical address.
• The job advertisement may include phishing emails that require you to access a link that is used to gain unauthorized access to your personal devices and information.

If it appears too good to be true, it usually is!  Be vigilant!

The general public is advised that any money derived from these scams, and subsequently used, is considered money laundering.  Section 4(2) of the Proceeds of Crime Act, Cap 4.28 (POCA) outlines that a person engages in money laundering if that person knows or ought to reasonably have known, that the money or other property derived, obtained, or realized, directly or indirectly, was obtained from some form of criminal activity.

Any person who has received funds via a Job Search Scam, as described above, should immediately contact the WCCU via email at wccu@police.kn or jerry.watt@police.kn or via telephone at 467-1952/3/4 or 662-4723.  Persons are advised to avoid using the funds derived from these activities. Failure to report these activities could result in a money laundering charge and the penalties outlined in Section 4(1) of the POCA.

19 July 2024