Pakistan’s National Cyber Emergency Response Team (CERT) has warned the public about a growing scam targeting freelancers through WhatsApp job offers. Scammers pose as recruiters, lure people into fake WhatsApp groups, and then share obscene content to blackmail them. Victims are pressured to pay between 1 to 1.5 million PKR or face fake legal charges and public exposure.
The scam usually begins with an unsolicited message offering a remote job. Once the user responds, they are added to a WhatsApp group that appears legitimate but includes fake participants and bots. Soon, scammers post explicit videos or images. If someone reacts, forwards the content, or tries to report it, the scammers pose as law enforcement officials and accuse them of sharing illegal material.
This tactic targets young freelancers, students, and job seekers, especially in Punjab. Scammers pick victims by looking at WhatsApp group activity, display pictures, and names. The emotional and financial impact can be severe. Victims often suffer from stress, fear, reputational damage, and large financial losses.
CERT has identified several reasons why this scam works. Many people have open privacy settings, allowing strangers to add them to groups. Most don’t know that even forwarding obscene material, intentionally or not, can be used against them. Informal job hunting on platforms like WhatsApp and Telegram also increases the risk.
The people behind these scams include organized cybercriminal gangs, impersonators using fake identities, and bots that make the groups seem real. Once a victim interacts with the content, the scammers threaten them and demand money.
To stay safe, CERT urges users to adjust their privacy settings. Only trusted contacts should be able to see profile photos and add people to groups. CERT also advises people to use verified freelancing websites, not random WhatsApp groups or job offers from unknown numbers.
If you come across obscene material, leave the group immediately. Don’t engage, forward, or reply, even if someone asks you to help report it. If you receive threats, block the numbers and report the incident to the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (https://complaint.nccia.gov.pk/), PTA (https://www.pta.gov.pk/category/complaints-298140473-2023-05-30), or CERT (https://pkcert.gov.pk/report-incident).
Cybersecurity experts stress that community awareness and basic digital hygiene are the best defenses. Workshops, peer‑to‑peer briefings, and sharing verified resources can empower freelancers to spot red flags. Early vigilance, they say, is crucial to keeping Pakistan’s growing digital workforce safe from these predatory schemes.
