Needing advice: I've been scam though a job offering

#1

Hi community,

I would appreciate your advice very much. I applied for a job for Bitpanda as a trade assistant in one swedish website that offer different jobs. They responded with an email telling me that I have been selected and asking me to fill the job contract attached with the email. I opened the document, but I didn’t donwloaded it. They asked me to contact them through WhatsApp for the interview, and when they replied I new something was wrong. I contacted Bitpanda and they say it was a scam.

If I only opened the document, can they have introduced any spy software or virus in my computer? I’ve run my antivirus and detected 2 things to delete… Do you suggest to do something else with my computer? Thanks, freeking out a bit ;-(

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#2

Hey @Ana, hope you are well.

Now that is very interesting way to scam people, do they got money from you?
What is the format of the document that they sent you? if it’s a normal document should end with .pdf or .doc or related to document format file type.

If is different like .exe meaning it could be an executable file which contains virus, but in both cases, it could only activate the virus if you opened (which you didn’t, good one there). Also if you antivirus jump the alerts about those files, could be true.

But if you have not execute any document or program or whatever they sent you, you are OK.
Also you have to be very carfull with who are you sharing your data, before sending or doing something for a stranger over the internet, it is always good to verify everything, before doing something for them.

Carlos Z

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#3

Hi Carlos,

The document seems to be a pdf. I opened the document several times to read it, but I didn’t downloaded in the computer. ¿Do you think I am OK if I opened the document? ¿What do you mean by “executing the document”?

They didn’t get money from me. They wanted me to sign the false “job contract” and send to them a copy of my passport or ID. I guess next was to send my bank account details, and who knows what more,since the job was to trade cryptocurrencies…

Thanks for answering, I’ve been without sleeping for a few days :-)! Gracias!

Ana

#4

Be cautious with suspicious emails or requests in the future.

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#6

Opening the document might not have caused any harm, but running your antivirus was a good step. It’s always better to be safe than sorry. To ensure your computer’s security, you can also consider updating your antivirus software and performing a full system scan. BTW, if you’re looking for career advice or tips on how to ask for a letter of recommendation, https://www.selectcourses.com/how-to-ask-for-a-letter-of-recommendation/ is a helpful resource. Stay vigilant, and keep up the good work in protecting your digital security!

#7

That’s very strange and shouldn’t happen…

#10

Sorry to hear about your experience. It’s great that you took swift action by contacting Bitpanda and being cautious. Just opening a document might not introduce spyware, but running your antivirus and deleting detected items was a smart move. To ensure your computer’s safety, consider doing a thorough scan, and keeping your software up to date. You acted wisely, and while it’s natural to feel concerned, know that you’re taking the right steps. For more job-related advice, you might want to check out Latest Govt Jobs. Stay vigilant and take care.