Looking for a job? This is how scammers will try to steal your money.

• CERT Orange Polska is warning against job scams. Experts warn that criminals are returning to a popular method.
• Scammers send fake text messages and direct victims to Telegram. They use social engineering to extort money.
• Criminals use known fake images of women to make their messages credible.

CERT Orange Polska is warning against online scams. In recent hours, experts have observed an intense text message campaign. In these messages, criminals assure the recipient that they have passed the assessment. "The daily rate is between 200 and 800 PLN. Please contact us via Telegram," the message continues. The message also includes a link to the Telegram website.

A new method of fraud - for recruitment

On Telegram, callers promise quick and easy money. However, they gradually lure victims into seemingly attractive "remote work."

Using an online platform, they assign simple tasks, such as liking products on Allegro, and pay small amounts to build trust. Subsequently, they ask for money – initially small amounts, which they return with a premium, and then increasingly larger ones. At a crucial moment, the victim makes a large transfer, which they will never recover.

CERT Orange Polska observed a similar pattern back in April. However, back then, it started with a phone call rather than a text message. In a statement issued Thursday, experts warn against responding to messages requesting "passing the assessment."

Cybercriminals are becoming more and more creative

The scheme revealed by CERT Orange Polska is just one of the ways cybercriminals operate. As reported today by the ChronPESEL website, QR codes are increasingly being used in cyberattacks.

According to the authors of the study, criminals place counterfeit pictograms in emails, text messages, PDF file attachments, or on parking meters or signs along hiking trails.

The scam is based on a simple mechanism: instead of a traditional link, criminals embed a QR code in the message, leading to a fake login page or payment form. A brief description of the supposed sale and a request to confirm receipt of payment is enough for the user to scan the code. This takes them to a phishing website where cybercriminals attempt to obtain their personal information, experts warn.

Beware of scammers on the internet

Another common scam involves impersonating accommodation websites. The Jelenia Góra police are warning against scammers who try to impersonate hotel owners. They offer fictitious accommodations, collect advance payments, and then stop communicating.

Deputy Inspector Edyta Bagrowska from the Municipal Police Headquarters in Jelenia Góra informed the Polish Press Agency (PAP) that the police station in Karpacz regularly receives reports from people who have fallen victim to fraud while trying to rent apartments or holiday homes.

According to the Central Bureau for Combating Cybercrime, a police unit, 40,000 cybercrimes have been committed in the country this year. In previous years, the figure was between 80,000 and 90,000 per year.