"I didn't think I could fall for it": the rise of fake job offers spread through WhatsApp and other messaging networks
Remote job offers have become the new cybercrime lure through organized networks that mix social engineering, cryptocurrencies, and impersonation of real companies to empty accounts and disappear without a trace.
Paula Sánchez (Pontevedra, 47) was in front of her monitor as she was every day. She had spent half her life managing accounts, budgets, and balances. She knew how to read numbers and anticipate threats. That November 2025 morning, when she came across a remote job vacancy ad on LinkedIn, she saw no risk. For her, the offer represented extra income, an opportunity compatible with her family life and her job as an administrative manager.
“Hello,” Sofía Koivu, a fake Dutch recruiter from ReSee, a vintage luxury boutique based in Paris, wrote to her on WhatsApp. One message led to another, and within hours, she signed a pre-contract to take on the role of Marketing ranking associate with a base salary of 600 euros. “You just have to help improve the product positioning,” the woman explained to her.
It was just another chat among many, but unbeknownst to her, she was taking the first step towards something that had nothing to do with a job.
Translated by urgent.news. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
