Telegram job scams might seem like a thing of the past, but it appears that scammers are relentless and never quit. A security guard in Singapore has just become the latest victim of a job-seeking scam, losing over $150k of his hard-earned savings. What’s more, he was even taunted by the scammer when he threatened to call the police.
Here’s what happened.
Security Guard Lost His Life Savings of $155,081 from Telegram Job Scam; Scammer Even Taunted Him in Chat
The victim, identified as Mohan, a 44-year-old security guard, recounted his ordeal to Shin Min Daily News. On 19 June, he received an unsolicited message on the Telegram platform from a supposed company called “Ambient Revue.com,” which claimed to offer employment opportunities.
A quick Google search reveals that no such company exists, but the scammer was convincing.
Nevertheless, after expressing interest, Mohan was contacted by a woman named “Yu Thing,” who asked him to register an account on a specific website.
The offer seemed enticing: Mohan was told he could earn commissions by completing tasks online. The catch? He would need to pay upfront to accept the tasks. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?
Yu Thing explained that after completing 35 tasks, the money and commissions could be withdrawn together. However, during the process, Mohan was required to transfer money first to complete the tasks.
Driven by the promise of easy money, Mohan, in his quest to complete these 35 tasks, transferred money 13 times to different accounts from 19 June to 28 July. He even transferred a staggering $59,355 in a single day.
During this period, he transferred a total of $150,081, his life savings of 12 years.
However, when Mohan requested to withdraw the money, the other party demanded that he pay an additional $120,000. This sudden change in terms made him realize that something was amiss.
“They previously said that I could withdraw the money after completing the tasks. After I completed them, the other party said that I took too long and needed to pay an additional $120,000. That’s when I realized I might have been scammed,” Mohan lamented.
Lest you’re not aware, scammers typically continue to ask for money until the victim runs out of patience or funds. They won’t just scam and disappear.
When Mohan threatened to call the police, the scammers were unfazed. “They even asked me to send them the police report, saying they would follow up, and then they became unreachable,” Mohan said, still in disbelief.
The police have since confirmed that the case is under investigation.
You can read this article on how to stop people from adding you into scammers’ groups in Telegram, and watch these videos about scams in Singapore: