Fall Recruitment Season Sees Surge in Job Scams: 4,708 Prosecuted, Exposing Four Major Traps and Elder Fraud Schemes

The golden months of September and October have always been the prime recruitment season. However, the autumn recruitment wave of 2026 has been shadowed by a surge in fraud. Jiangsu Province's Gaoyou People's Procuratorate recently revealed that from January 2022 to August 2024, procuratorial organs across China prosecuted 4,708 job fraud cases. Meanwhile, Xiamen Cyber Police received multiple fraud reports targeting elderly citizens after the National Day holiday, with single cases involving up to 910,000 yuan. These cases expose a series of sophisticated scam schemes ranging from recruitment markets to elderly communities. The first major scam involves falsely claiming "connections" to arrange jobs. In a typical case handled by Gaoyou Procuratorate, a suspect persuaded a father to transfer over 70,000 yuan over several months by claiming to have "internal quotas" for stable employment. To make the lie more convincing, the fraudster fabricated chat records and sent fake location information. The prosecutor reminded the public that formal public recruitment never requires money for "connections." Any requests for payments labeled as "internal indicators," "relationship fees," or "deposits" are essentially scams. The second trap targets those seeking part-time income with "flexible hours" and "easy money." Fraudsters post advertisements for online store operations, fake order brushing, and game leveling on short-video and social platforms, promising "low thresholds, high returns, flexible hours." This September, unemployed Li received a text claiming he qualified for an online store operation position. After contacting the "employer," Li was gradually drawn into a fake order-brushing scam. Many victims not only fail to earn any money but also lose their deposits and training fees upfront. The third wave of scams targets elderly people, especially after the National Day holiday when children leave home and elderly citizens spend more time alone. Xiamen Cyber Police exposed three common fraud patterns. The first elderly scam uses small enticements. A 67-year-old man, identified as Lao Lin, saw a short video ad claiming he could "sell products overseas without inventory or experience." After downloading the specified software and receiving "customer service" guidance, Lao Lin made small investments and saw fake returns. He then increased his investment step by step until he discovered he couldn't withdraw his money, losing nearly 100,000 yuan - all triggered by a mere 48-yuan "rebate." The second elderly scam packages fake health investments. A woman named Huang was stopped by bank staff when attempting to transfer money for health products. Police discovered she had joined multiple fake "healthcare groups" and the scammers couldn't provide any product lists. After police counseling, Huang realized the truth and preserved her 30,000-yuan savings. The third elderly scam involves impersonating public security and procuratorial officials. An elderly couple received calls claiming they were involved in money laundering and would face imprisonment if they didn't cooperate. Frightened, the victims prepared to consolidate all their savings and were tricked into downloading remote control apps. Their son discovered the anomaly and called police. At that point, the elderly couple had already concentrated 910,000 yuan in pension savings onto a single bank card, just one step away from transferring it all. Police rushed to their home and finally preserved this life savings. Prosecutors advise: formal recruitment never requires money for connections. Job seekers should use official recruitment platforms and be highly cautious about any "pay first, then work" requirements. Police recommendations for the elderly: be wary of overseas store investments and high-return, low-risk schemes; don't trust financial projects in health groups or make large transfers for health products; remember that public security agencies never handle cases via phone or WeChat or use "safe accounts"; consult family members before large transfers; and call 110 immediately if anything seems suspicious.