Jobs con | Scammers posing as TikTok HR staff to target users with fake job offers

Con artists are impersonating TikTok HR employees to scam youngsters with bogus job opportunities, according to new research.

Virgin Media O2 has reported a sharp rise in fraudulent text messages over the past month, with scammers claiming young people can earn up to £800 a day by liking videos on the platform.

A study by the operator into how young people understand scams revealed that a significant number of 13- to 16-year-olds were unaware that criminals could pretend to be representatives of popular brands.

One of the most common scam messages reads: "Hello, I am from TikTok Human Resources Department. We sincerely invite you to use your free time to watch TikTok videos and help to click like the videos. You can get paid by 300-800 pounds a day. We are waiting for you and look forward to working with you. Please contact us as soon as possible to get job details."