Lloyds Bank tells customers to look out for 'advance fees'

Lloyds Bank has issued a warning after a surge in a scam that has seen people lose £1,420 each on average. The bank's fraud specialists have released new data and advice regarding what is known as an "advance fee" job con.

According to Lloyds, these scams typically originate on social media and are advertised as remote work or content creator positions, targeting jobseekers throughout the UK.

Victims are losing an average of £1,420 to these scams, although some people have lost more than £5,000 over the past six months. Lloyds said young people are the primary targets, with over half of all cases (53%) involving victims aged between 18 and 34.

Scammers reportedly try to entice those seeking employment with fake job offers, often consisting of simple online tasks such as reviewing hotels or liking TikTok videos. These "jobs" promise commission and high earning opportunities, all from the comfort of home.

But people are first asked to pay upfront fees for things like training, DBS checks, and application processing. Once these payments have been made, victims are either blocked or ignored.

Some of the more complex cases involve fake interviews and contracts, and scammers may even impersonate legitimate recruitment agencies and create counterfeit websites to aid their scams.

Victims are occasionally added to WhatsApp group chats or shown counterfeit screenshots of inflated bank balances to make the scam appear more legitimate. Some scams involve crypto wallets or task completion platforms, and some victims are even manipulated into forwarding money or acting as intermediaries - unknowingly becoming money mules, an activity that constitutes a criminal offence.

Christina Ford, Fraud Investigator at Lloyds, said: "In my role, I've spoken to a number of customers who have been approached unexpectedly with job offers or they've responded to advertisements promising quick cash or remote working opportunities. These offers usually take place on social media platforms, sometimes not even framed as a job advert, but instead in the form of a fake profile talking about a great job opportunity they've had themselves.

"Conversations often shift to other apps, where individuals are added to group chats posing as workspaces. The roles presented appear simple, such as watching or liking TikTok videos or writing fake reviews to boost company ratings.

"Customers are told they will earn a set amount per task and initially receive payments into their accounts. However, these payments are often sent by other scam victims who believe they are paying to unlock higher-paying tasks."

To avoid falling victim to such scams, people are advised to:

• Verify recruiters and companies independently, do your own research and don't rely on links and documents they provide.
• Be cautious of unsolicited adverts or job offers promising easy money, especially on social media, which is a key 'hunting ground' for fraudsters. If you spot one, report it to Action Fraud.
• Avoid opportunities where you are added to unknown apps or group chats that claim to be part of the process.
• Remember no legitimate company will ask you to make payments when applying for a job, nor would they ask you use your own bank account to transfer their money. Do not do it under any circumstances.