How I Fell for a Hacker’s Trap

It all started like this: After leaving my previous job, I began looking for new positions through JobStreet, Indeed, and even Facebook. While scrolling through Facebook, I saw an advertisement for a job vacancy with a schedule of Monday to Thursday. The pay was about $3k++ and the working hours seemed attractive (this was actually the first red flag). They asked us to contact them via WhatsApp, which I did.

Here were the warning signs:

1. The Facebook profile picture was unusual and didn’t match the WhatsApp profile picture.

2. When I noticed the discrepancy, I initially assumed it was a real person and not a scam.

3. I texted him to ask why the job was only from Monday to Thursday.

4. He didn’t answer my question but instead asked if I had worked in Singapore before. I said yes, and he then instructed me to click on a Telegram link to proceed with the interview.

5. I was unsure about the link but, due to my desperation for a job, I chose to trust it and ignored my instincts.

6. After clicking the link, I found it suspicious as it didn’t open Telegram directly but kept asking for a code through a website. I began to worry that my phone might have been hacked. (This was my second instinct telling me it was a scam, but I chose to ignore it.)

7. After multiple attempts to join the group, I was directed to a Telegram group that stated it had been banned for being associated with pornography. It was clear this was a scam. I’m unsure why I continued to trust him, perhaps due to my desperation of getting a job.

8. I texted him again, explaining that I couldn’t join the group.

9. He then asked if I had any family or friends with Telegram. ( I did not reply him)

10. I realized I was being scammed and felt that something was not right.

I immediately called my husband, sent him screenshots of the messages, and he informed me that my phone was likely hacked. He was frustrated that I clicked on the link, as my phone contained important details.

Continue to part 2 —

#scammed #hackedintotelegram #dontfallforit