Quick Takeaways
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Widespread Impact: Over 6,000 individuals in Bangladesh, spanning various age groups, have reportedly been affected by the "OpenAi-etc" job scam, which exploited the name of a well-known organization to defraud victims.
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Economic Crisis: Complainants, including a school teacher, have reported substantial financial losses—both capital and profits—due to the sudden disappearance of the scam operation after receiving their investments.
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Ongoing Investigation: OpenAI is currently investigating the scam, while the fraudulent website has been taken down; however, questions remain about the company’s prior awareness and potential actions against the perpetrators.
- Scam Mechanisms: Cybersecurity experts emphasize that such crypto job scams exploit cultural norms and trust, particularly in Asian countries, where individuals may comply with perceived authority figures, leading to increased vulnerability to deceit.
OpenAI Job Scam Targets International Workers Through Telegram
A troubling job scam has emerged, capitalizing on the OpenAI brand to deceive international workers, particularly in Bangladesh. The scam, identified as “OpenAi-etc,” allegedly reached over 6,000 individuals across various cities in Bangladesh, including Dhaka and Khulna. Notably, the ages of affected victims range from teenagers to people in their fifties.
“Regrettably, I found no available source online to know more about this organization except for those registrations,” wrote one complainant. “They are collecting huge amounts of investment from third world countries in Asia.” Many victims fell prey to promises of generous jobs in cryptocurrency trading. One victim reported, “My next trading date was 29 August, 2024. I made the trade with my whole amount, but suddenly, the OpenAI company vanished. I lost both capital and profit and now face a great economic crisis.”
OpenAI’s spokesperson, Niko Felix, declined to discuss whether the company had prior knowledge of the scam. However, he mentioned that OpenAI is investigating the incident. The alleged scam website has since gone offline, and efforts to contact the operators of “OpenAi-etc” were unsuccessful.
The scam utilized Telegram as its communication platform. Remi Vaughn, a Telegram spokesperson, stated, “Telegram actively moderates harmful content on its platform, including scams.” Vaughn emphasized that the company employs custom AI and machine learning tools to monitor and combat scams, removing millions of harmful posts daily.
Experts highlight that this pattern reflects a common tactic in crypto job scams, where victims deposit digital currency into fraudulent accounts believing they control them. Arun Vishwanath, a cybersecurity expert, noted, “These social engineering scams are designed to lower our natural suspicion.” The manipulation often preys on cultural norms, especially in regions like Asia, where social hierarchies can lead to compliance with seemingly authoritative figures.
Bangladeshi citizens have increasingly faced such scams while searching for reliable job opportunities. Reports indicate that many potential workers have been lured by false promises, leading to dangerous situations, including organ trafficking incidents in India.
As technology continues to evolve, so do the methods of deception. The rise of AI and other sophisticated tools in scams underscores the need for ongoing vigilance against fraudulent schemes. Authorities and technology companies must act collaboratively to protect vulnerable populations from these exploitative practices.
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