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Hanover (dpa / lni) - The Lower Saxony consumer center has warned of criminals who use fictitious job offers to abuse the identity of applicants for rip-offs and fake shops.
The Corona lockdown is forcing many people to look for a part-time job - criminals are taking advantage of this, the consumer advice center warned.
They lured with fictitious job offers on the Internet in order to get to the applicants' identity.
A woman from Lower Saxony is now threatened with a complaint for money laundering instead of a new job: she unintentionally became a financial agent, the alleged employers had opened an account in her name.
According to the information, the woman should test the security features of the video identification in the application process while opening a bank account.
The account was supposed to be set up only for the purpose of market research and later terminated by the supposed employers.
In fact, however, the fraudsters wanted to get at the applicant's identity.
Because the applicant was the owner of the account, but the fraudsters were able to access it in order to use the account for Ebay sales: the customers paid the purchase price, but waited in vain for the goods.
Video identification in the application process is basically possible, explained Kathrin Körber, legal expert at the Lower Saxony consumer center.
However, if the alleged employer demands that an account also be opened, those affected should refuse.
“You should never scan both sides of your ID card and then hold it in the camera for authentication,” advised Körber.
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Consumer advocates warned that anyone who fell for such a scam could face charges of suspected money laundering.
Customers who have transferred money to the account could also request a repayment from the account holder.
The victims of the scam should file criminal charges against the alleged employer.
© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210326-99-978358 / 2