Page 6 - ELG2207 Jul Issue 481

NEWS .

Online scam manipulates English

teachers living abroad

olygraph, a Berlin-based
company that investigates
cyber-crime gangs, has
Pidentified a new scam
which is manipulating English
teachers living abroad.
This is how it starts: the
criminals locate American English
teachers using sources such as
expat websites, job sites and even
classified ads for a flatmate. The
fraudsters extend a genuine-
sounding job offer which involves
fronting US-based companies that
generate income through online
advertisements.
“The criminals pretend they’re
ordinary business people who
need US citizens to get around
trade barriers that are preventing
them from operating in North
America,” says Trey Vanes, chief
marketing officer for Polygraph.
“But the real explanation is they
need Americans to legitimise
their scams and be the scapegoats
for when their criminal activities
are discovered.”
What happens next is that
the English teacher is told to
create a company in the US and
to contact US-based advertising
networks to open what is known PICTURE BY PIXABAY
as a ‘publisher’ account. This
kind of account enables the
criminals to place adverts on their
fraudulent websites, with a small
fee earned every time an ad is
clicked. The criminals use ‘bots’ – Polygraph has were fronting a genuine business, especially if it involves any
software which simulates humans the fact that it’s their company online advertising.”
online – to repeatedly click on interviewed some doing the fraud and they were According to Polygraph’s own
the ads, resulting in massive duped teachers paid handsomely for it puts them research, there are hundreds
amounts of money being stolen at risk of criminal prosecution. of English teachers who have
from US advertisers. At the end who were collecting The criminals disappear while been duped by the scam. “The
of each month, the English the teacher is left to face the criminals are constantly looking
teacher receives a payment US$40,000 consequences,” Vanes explains. for English teachers to front their
from the advertising network, every month “Luckily, prosecutions are rare, scam websites. This is a necessity,
which he or she then transfers to but the risk is still there.” as the advertising networks
the criminals. To avoid getting caught up eventually discover the fraud,
According to Vanes, the scam the fraud scheme, Polygraph has in the scam, Vanes advises resulting in the English teacher
is known as ‘click fraud’ and is interviewed some duped teachers teachers to beware of job offers being blacklisted. To keep the
estimated to cost advertisers who were collecting US$40,000 from strangers. “If a stranger scam going, the criminals recruit
an incredible US$68 billion every month,” says Vanes. “That contacts you out of the blue new victims and start afresh.”
each year. kind of money must certainly with a job offer, you need to be If you believe you’ve been
Whether the teachers recognise raise red flags with them.” on high alert,” he says. “Unless tricked into operating click
they’re participating in criminal The risks to the English teacher the person is from an established fraud websites for a criminal
activities is an unanswered are not insignificant. Click fraud recruitment agency, and their gang, Polygraph can provide
question. They may be paid a flat is a crime and when the fake identity can be verified, you advice and assistance, including
salary from the criminals, but they clicks are eventually discovered should assume it’s a trick. how to exit the scam. Contact
may also receive a share of the by the advertising network, the Additionally, you should steer Polygraph at team@polygraph.
take – up to five figures monthly. teacher may face prosecution. clear of anyone who asks you net or via the contact page at
“In tracking the machinations of “Even if the teacher believed they to front a business in the US, https://polygraph.net.
6 July 2022