Devon Trading Standards is warning young people to be wary of fake job adverts on social media that are posted by fraudsters and other criminals.

During the pandemic, roles including Covid tester and admin support for test sites have been advertised – targeting young people who would normally look to the tourism and hospitality industry for work.

Some of these adverts are designed to harvest applicants' personal details and are later used in identity theft.

Others are posted with the intention of duping young people into laundering money.

Trading Standards say criminals who want to move money through accounts, but want to avoid the scrutiny of banks, employ 'mules' who allow their accounts to be used.

According to fraud prevention experts Cifas, more than four in 10 cases of 'money mules' involved victims aged 21 to 30.

There were 17,157 cases of suspected money muling involving 21 to 30-year-olds in 2020, a 5 per cent increase on the previous year.

Janet Quinn from Devon, Somerset and Torbay Trading Standards said: "If you see an advert for a job on social media that would appear to be the answer to your financial woes and it seems too good to be true, then it probably is.

"By responding to some of these adverts, at best you could be giving away your personal details and at worst you could be duped into committing a criminal offence.

"Anyone who has been offered a job through social media and thinks it might be a scam should contact the organisation directly, using officially listed contact details, to confirm the offer is genuine."

For more information, or to report an incident, visit the Safer Jobs website.