A few months ago, I had an interesting correspondence with a person via Linkedin, where the person in question “processed” me in order to agree to online cooperation. The proposal was like this: Permission to use my computer remotely, with an assigned IP address, then to allow access to accounts on LinkedIn and Upwork. For my “torment”, I would have a 10% share in what my associate (hereinafter I will call him Gliša) is doing through the Internet. It was freelancing as a developer. I can’t help but wonder, as the title of the text says, is this an attempt at fraud, or a missed business opportunity?
The connection was established via Linkdin. I don’t remember exactly whether the connection request followed first or there were a couple of reactions to my posts first. It doesn’t matter that much. According to Glisha’s profile, I saw that he was American (which doesn’t have to be true). It was strange for me to react at all to what I was publishing. Still, I don’t have a lot of strangers in the connections, and he appeared from nowhere.
The next day, Gliša’s message followed, where he offered cooperation. Gliša had patience and a story. With each new sentence, he revealed a new detail. In the introduction to this text, I stated what he imagined. Let me work this out through the course of our conversation:
- Offer of cooperation;
- (Glišа’s) Project idea;
- My role in the project and percentage (initially offered 10%):
- Enable remote access to my computer;
- Enable access to Linkedin and Upwork account;
- I sit in the shade and drink lemonade while 10% of Gliša’s fruits of labor are poured into my account;
At first I thought this was an opportunity I should consider, but as the conversation progressed, my opinion changed. I thought it would be great to work on a project in my free time, gain new experience and earn some dinars. However, the level of my work would eventually be equal to 0, I would have to hand over my own computer and, of course, my identity to some Gliša – a complete stranger, who would know why he used my resources.
It doesn’t exist anywhere to lie while your account balance is growing, except on the stock market, but it is quantum physics for me. I have already seen in my head how a unit of special forces in full gear bursts in through the window and drags me into a dark room for interrogation, while during the arrest I shout that Gliša is guilty.
I also wanted to publish the correspondence, in order to see how Glisha introduces himself and, of course, the content of our conversation, but it seems that Linkеdin removed his account, and there are no messages from him. I may have deleted the correspondence myself, but it is unlikely.
Of course, I also consulted with freelancers and friends, but the situation is very clear to them. It is an obvious fraud.