A woman from Shirley in Southampton, Monika Zytowiecka, has revealed how she lost £4,000 in a single day after falling victim to a cryptocurrency scam under the guise of an ‘online side hustle’ she discovered on Facebook. Monika, aged 38 and a beautician by profession, sought to earn some extra money during quieter work periods and responded to a Facebook post promising part-time roles with the potential to make up to £250 per day by ‘processing online orders’ with no experience necessary.
Upon reaching out to the advertiser via WhatsApp, Monika was directed to a system where she was allocated a budget to make online purchases for various items like children’s clothing and skincare products to purportedly ‘boost business ratings’. She was instructed to use her own funds when her budget ran low, with reassurances from a mentor named ‘Allison’ on Telegram that she would be promptly refunded along with a commission. Initially, these promises were fulfilled as described.
However, Monika’s doubts grew as she was asked to make progressively larger ‘top-ups’, exceeding £1,200, with ‘Allison’ continually assuring her that she could withdraw the money once she completed her tasks. When a request for £1,596 was blocked by her bank, suspecting fraudulent activity, Monika realised she had been scammed. The online sales platform vanished, leaving her nearly £4,000 poorer.
Despite seeking assistance from her bank and reporting the incident to Action Fraud, Monika has been unable to recover her losses. Reflecting on her ordeal, she highlighted the seductive allure of ‘work from home’ opportunities on social media and warned others of similar scams, stressing the need for vigilance and caution.
Action Fraud acknowledged receiving a complaint about the incident but stated that it was not under active investigation. Over 850,000 reports are received annually by the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau, with only a fraction leading to police action. Victims of fraud are urged to report incidents to help law enforcement disrupt fraudulent activities and support victims in recovering lost funds.
Monika’s unfortunate experience serves as a cautionary tale, shedding light on the dangers of online scams and the importance of staying vigilant in the face of enticing but dubious opportunities.