The scams called "easy work, high salary"
One of the popular tricks today is to impersonate companies recruiting collaborators to work online.
Initially, the subjects post articles with neat images, logos, sample contracts, and even links to websites to create a sense of professionalism. When the victims contact them, they guide them to applications such as Telegram and Zalo to discuss work, then gradually ask them to deposit money to activate their accounts, open tasks, or upgrade their levels.
Every step is skillfully choreographed, making participants believe that they are actually working and receiving fair compensation.
From behind the computer screen, many virtual recruitment tricks have infiltrated student life (Photo: Phuong Thao).
Mai Quynh, a student at Ton Duc Thang University, almost fell victim to this scam. In her spare time, she wanted to find an online freelance job to earn extra income.
While surfing Facebook, Quynh came across many posts with attractive titles such as “urgently hiring freelancers” or “light work, high salary”. Curious, she decided to try texting a recruitment account.
The poster claims to be a project manager offering a job writing hotel reviews to increase the number of 5-star reviews on booking platforms.
All initial exchanges were quite professional, even with a sample contract attached, making Quynh trust. However, after being asked to switch to the Telegram application to receive the job, she began to feel unusual.
“There, they asked me to download another app and deposit 165,000 VND to open the mission. I found it unreasonable, so I stopped immediately,” the female student said.
Similarly, Ngoc Mai, a second-year student at Saigon University, recalled her “painful wallet” experience when looking for a part-time job online.
She said that while browsing a Facebook group for students, Mai saw a post recruiting collaborators to market affiliate products on e-commerce platforms, with the advertisement saying "just need a phone, a few free hours a day can earn 200,000-300,000 VND".
As instructed, she was tasked with adding a shopping cart and sharing a link to the product; if someone purchased through that link, she would receive a 10% commission on each product.
Trusting, the student followed the instructions and deposited 200,000 VND to activate her account. Initially, after completing a few tasks, she actually received money, so she trusted even more.
However, shortly after, the recruiter continued to ask Mai to deposit more money to upgrade her level and receive higher-value tasks. Thinking this was a good opportunity, she transferred more than one million VND. As a result, Mai's account was locked, and the contact "disappeared" without a trace.
“What made me subjective was that everything was done very professionally. They had the company logo, sent an online contract with a clear red seal. I also saw hundreds of comments below praising it as reputable, and had successfully withdrawn money so I trusted it. Who would have thought that all of them were fake comments that were pre-made,” Ngoc Mai shared.
After the incident, she had to change her phone number because of annoying calls and even feared that her personal information would be revealed after sending a photo of her ID card to verify her account.
When the trap is "acted" as real
There is no denying that working online is becoming more and more popular, but that very convenience has become fertile ground for scams with countless tricks.
The people behind it often play on students' psychology: high salary, easy work, work at home, no experience required.
They set up realistic scenarios, with fanpages, company logos, red-stamped online contracts, and even a team of professional chat support staff. Below the posts, a series of fake comments have successfully withdrawn money, 100% credibility makes readers lose their vigilance.
Many students only become suspicious when they are asked to deposit money to activate their account, make a deposit to receive a task, or submit personal information for verification. By then, they have already revealed enough information to be taken advantage of or lose money without being able to get it back.
According to Ms. Thuy Linh, who has many years of experience in recruiting freelance staff, the nature of working online is not bad.
“Many jobs are truly prestigious, providing opportunities to develop skills, if you know how to choose. However, there are currently many people who take advantage of students’ “immaturity” to make profits. If you are gullible, they will have dozens of ways to make you lose money,” she confided.
Be careful not to become a victim
According to experts, working online is an inevitable trend in the digital age. However, to enter that world safely, students need to learn how to identify and protect themselves.
First of all, any job that requires you to transfer money in advance, buy an account, or provide personal information is suspicious. A real employer will never ask you to pay a deposit to get a job. Besides, checking the recruitment source is a must - check the official website, company email, and fanpage to see if it has a blue tick or not.
Many students fall into online job scams (Photo: AI).
If still hesitant, students can seek information from reputable review groups, or ask friends and lecturers for advice before making a decision.
“Don’t trust the comments on the post, because most of them are fake. Take the initiative to look up the company name on Google or job forums to see what other people have said,” Ms. Thuy Linh advised.
In addition, students should prioritize finding jobs through reliable platforms or official joint programs between universities and businesses. This is a way to limit risks and ensure rights if disputes arise.
- Student name has been changed
Phuong Thao
Source: https://dantri.com.vn/giao-duc/sieu-lua-lien-tuc-tung-chieu-moi-sinh-vien-sap-bay-hang-loat-20251013003936898.htm
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