Hertfordshire Police raise alarm after residents lose over £200k to fake job schemes

Hertfordshire Constabulary has revealed that seven people living in the county lost significant amounts after being tricked into applying for non-existent jobs.

It has been revealed that two residents from Cheshunt and Watford lost £70,000 each as result of similar fraudulent cases. The police force adds that residents from Broxbourne, Hatfield, Hemel Hempstead, Hitchin, and St Albans were also targeted by the scam.

This scheme involves criminals posing as reputable recruiters, who asked job seekers to complete actions on an application. They believed that they would receive financial rewards for completing tasks on the application. They were told to receive the payments they would need to pay an equivalent amount, Hertfordshire Constabulary has confirmed.

Senior Beacon Fraud Hub manager, Elaine Crate, said: “If you receive an exciting job opportunity sent directly to you via WhatsApp, text message, social media platform or email, proceed with caution, particularly if you have been actively looking for a job, as scammers often target individuals who are job hunting.

“Legitimate recruitment agencies will never ask prospective candidates to pay any fees. If you are asked to deposit money at any stage, this should be an immediate red flag.”

Hertfordshire Constabulary is highlighting the following warning signs which may indicate the job opportunity is a scam:

-Payments that sound too good to be true.

-Work that is simple and easy and requires no qualifications or training.

The police force also advises residents to check messages from a recruitment company and check the company's official website to see whether it recruits in this way. Residents are also encouraged to search a company’s name on Companies House or overseas registries to confirm that the organisation offering you the job actually exists. If it does, contact the organisation directly through officially listed details to confirm the offer is genuine.