Scammers continuously post recruitment advertisements on social media for jobs in Germany, Japan, South Korea, or Taiwan (China), promising attractive salaries and fast application procedures to lure victims. When someone expresses interest, the fraudsters impersonate employees of overseas labor recruitment companies, asking victims to submit personal documents and pay application processing fees. They then persuade victims to install “verification” or “registration” applications through suspicious links.

In reality, these applications contain malware designed to take control of mobile phones, steal OTP codes, and obtain banking information in order to withdraw money from victims’ accounts.

According to Bkav cybersecurity experts, today’s scam campaigns are becoming increasingly sophisticated by combining impersonation techniques with psychological manipulation, targeting people seeking high-income job opportunities. Requests to install applications from sources outside official app stores are a major warning sign, as this is often the method used by criminals to distribute malware, take over devices, and steal financial data.

In response to this sophisticated scam tactic, Bkav recommends:

• Do not transfer application or processing fees to individuals you meet through Facebook, Zalo, or groups of unclear origin.
• Do not install applications from suspicious links sent via messages or social media.
• Never provide OTP codes, banking passwords, or card information to anyone.
• Install licensed security and antivirus software to detect malicious applications.
• Only work with licensed overseas labor recruitment companies that have clear and verifiable information.
• If you detect signs of fraud, immediately lock your accounts and report the incident to the police for timely assistance.

Bkav