Virgin Media O2 is exposing the latest fake job texts identified on its network to help Brits stay safe, as its quarterly Scam Index reveals fraudsters are increasingly turning to recruitment scams to target people looking for work.
The warning comes as almost one million 16–24-year-olds are not in education, employment or training, according to the latest ONS figures. Nearly one in three (29%) young people say they’ve fallen for a recruitment scam – the highest proportion of any age group.
Texts identified on O2’s network show scammers posing as recruiters and promising easy earnings:
“Hello, this is Charles from [recruitment platform]. A job may fit your profile. Reply YES for details or STOP to opt out.”
“Simply take 60-90 minutes out of your day to work at your favourite time and place, and you can easily earn £100-£300!”
“Hi, I’m Anna from [recruitment agency]. We’ve got a fantastic job opportunity that might be just what you’re looking for. Can i share the details with you?”
The fear of missing out on work can make these messages hard to ignore. Half (50%1) of 18–24-year-olds worry about missing a genuine opportunity if they ignore an unexpected recruitment message, while more than a third (35%) would be tempted to respond to an attractive offer even if they doubted it was genuine.
Virgin Media O2 is warning young people to stay alert to fake job offers, revealing real scam texts and sharing practical advice to help them check the legitimacy of the message and protect their money and personal information.
The telecoms company has blocked more than 1.4 billion scam messages to date, and is using AI to flag more than 80 million nuisance calls to customers a month, before they pick up the phone.
Fake offers, real consequences
Recruitment scams have broken into the UK’s top 10 most commonly seen scams, climbing from 11th to ninth in Virgin Media O2’s latest quarterly Scam Index. The proportion reporting seeing the scam rose by around five percentage points between surveys.
Almost half (47%) of 18–24-year-olds have received a message offering a job they had not applied for. And for those caught out, the consequences go beyond a false promise.
Nearly a third (29%) of victims were tricked into sending money or paying a fee, including for training, equipment or an application, and 32% were tricked into clicking a link or downloading an app or software.
Fake jobs, familiar names
Recruitment scams can be convincing, even to those who know what to look for. More than four in ten (44%) young adults feel confident spotting fake recruitment messages, yet almost three quarters (73%) failed to identify a scam text posing as a well-known recruitment platform and offering a job that “may fit your profile”.
Almost half (49%) failed to spot a scam promising £100–£300 for just 60–90 minutes of work and nearly three quarters (72%) missed another claiming they had been recommended for a remote job: “Hi there! I’m Isla and you’ve been recommended by multiple online recruitment platforms for an awesome remote job.”
Murray Mackenzie, Director of Fraud Prevention at Virgin Media O2, said: “Looking for work can be challenging, and an unexpected recruitment message can look like the break someone has been waiting for. Scammers exploit that hope, posing as familiar companies and recruiters to persuade people to respond.
“With recruitment scams entering our Scam Index top 10, we’re revealing some of the messages fraudsters use so people know what to look out for. They don’t always promise extraordinary salaries – some look like an ordinary introduction from a recruiter.
“We work around the clock to protect our customers and tackle fraudsters, blocking more than 1.4 billion messages to date. Before responding to an unexpected job message, check the opportunity directly with the company using contact details you’ve found yourself.”
Calls overtake emails as scam patterns shift
Beyond recruitment scams, the Scam Index shows suspicious calls overtaking emails as the most frequently reported approach, with calls rising from 55% to 61% and emails falling from 57% to 52%.
Delivery scams remain the most commonly seen, rising from 63% to 68%. Fake account suspension messages moved into second place (58%), ahead of online shopping scams (55%).
Virgin Media O2’s quarterly Scam Index brings together consumer research and the operator’s internal data to track the threats facing the public, the impact on victims and the tactics criminals use.
Five ways to spot a fake recruiter
Virgin Media O2 is encouraging people to take five steps when receiving an unexpected recruitment message:
Check the source: Find the organisation’s official website independently and use its published contact details to verify the recruiter and vacancy.
Look beyond the brand: A familiar company name or logo does not prove a message is genuine.
Question the promise: High earnings for very little work or experience required should prompt extra checks.
Protect your information: Avoid clicking links, downloading software or sending payments or sensitive details in response to an unverified approach.
Report suspicious texts: Forward them to 7726 for free.
7726 is a free service available to customers on every UK mobile network. Reports help Virgin Media O2 investigate numbers used by fraudsters and refine its blocking services, helping it identify and tackle scam messages.
