A new scam has come to light in America, involving false DoorDash and Uber accounts. The scam involves groups on WhatsApp, Facebook, and Telegram renting or selling work accounts for significant amounts of money.
Research group Tech Transparency Project identified over 80 Facebook groups. These groups have over 800,000 members offering accounts for others to use.
These accounts are linked to real people, and buyers can use them without a Social Security Number (SSN). This allows them to make money without going through the verification process, with even car rentals covered under the cost of buying.
Accounts for DoorDash for sold for upwards of $500, or rented out for around $100 a month. CBS News, earlier this year, found that this market targets immigrants who cannot pass background checks to work for DoorDash or Uber.
It allows them to to work without legal work authorisation or even ID. These markets offer stolen or fraudulent accounts for sale, risking the immigrants who use them.
The main targets seem to be H-1B and H-4 visa holders. Having such an accounts allows them an income outside of their authorised work.
However, it risks their legal status in the country. Any job not tied to their visa counts as unauthorised employment.
Using such accounts risks a lifetime ban from the USA and permanent bar from immigration in the future. They count as wilful misrepresentation and fraud.
Risking one’s entire life in the US over making extra money is extremely dangerous. Such scams should be avoided at all costs to preserve legal status.
