The owners of a fake cryptocurrency company based in Florida have allegedly scammed new employees out of thousands of USD.
The private non-profit organisation Better Business Bureau (BBB) said in a statement: “Since November 2021, BBB started to receive complaints and/or BBB Scam Tracker Reports concerning job opportunities.”
BBB said it has been receiving complaints for the last four months about the company Cryptocurity LLC, which advertised recruitment opportunities for applicants with “little to no experience” to manage cryptocurrency transactions for payment of USD 3,000.
BBB continued: “Specifically, the business will hire ’employees’ for little to no experience, offering to pay USD 3,000 to conduct cryptocurrency transactions as part of their employment duties.”
The scammed victims tried to contact the fake company by phone and email, but received no response.
The NGO stated: “BBB recommends to be very cautious of jobs that involve receiving and forwarding money.
“The website, www.cryptocurity.net, was created on October 18, 2021.
“The business advertises to be at 15310 Amberly Dr, Tampa, FL however there are no records to reflect the address is registered to the business.
“The business name Cryptocurity, LLC is registered with Florida Division of Corporations, however the registered address is in Land O Lakes, FL.”
The NGO added: “BBB believes that the creator of the website is fraudulently using the business name without permission.”
BBB said the “scammers use a physical address to appear more legitimate”, adding: “The address usually has no connection to the scam business.”
To avoid falling foul of cryptocurrency scams, BBB recommends: “Researching opportunities before investing.
“Find out whether a company files with the Securities and Exchange Commission or Canadian Securities Administrators. In the United States, check the SEC’s EDGAR database.
“Read the reports and verify any information you have heard about the company. But remember, the fact that a company has registered its securities or files reports with the SEC or CSA doesn’t mean that the company will be a good investment in general.
“Get details on potential job opportunities. Before you say yes to any job, research the company that wants to hire you. Search for what others are saying about their experience with this company.
“Be wary if they offer to hire you without an interview, pay you before you have done any work or ask you to use your personal account to carry out transactions. None of these actions are typical of a reputable business or company.
“Say no to unsolicited and internet-based investment offers. Even if the opportunity seems low risk or comes recommended from a friend, do not enter into a scheme without research, as those you trust may also be unwittingly participating in a scam.”
Among other recommendations, BBB said to “avoid unsecured investment platforms”, be wary “of stocks with huge spikes in price” as this could “signal potential manipulation or fraud”.
