Fake jobs. Fake recruiters. And job scams… the worst! The biggest issue for job searchers and gig-seekers is the staggering amount of spam and fake profiles online right now. Job search stress sits pretty high up on the anxiety thermometer as it is. Adding in spam and scams makes it unbearable.
These things are not only potentially personally and financially harm-inducing; but quite simply, having to deal with them massively wastes your time, at a time when time is never more valuable.
Every job searcher has this sense of time running out; so job scams are the last thing we need.
(not that anyone would welcome being scammed ever, obviously.)
Case in point. My copywriting cohort shared on LinkedIn today a text exchange that she had with someone claiming to be a potential employer. Within 3 exchanged texts with said scammer, my friend spotted a red flag in their communication, and quickly shut down the conversation.
With her gift of making lemonade out of lemons, she quickly screen-shot the offending job scammer, and posted it on LinkedIn as a warning to others.
Job searchers, companies, hiring managers and recruiters: authenticate yourself.
Make sure you’re authentic online. Some tips for success:
- Get verified however you can.
- Be real. Make it specific.
- Engage meaningfully.
- Take the time to provide your full name, company name and contact info.
- Communicate with consideration for the other person. “Hello, is Mary there?” is two shades less pushy than “Hi, is this Mary?” which could feel offputting to someone who doesn’t recognize your number on their phone.
Authentic goes both ways. How to grow trust with people who don’t know you.
Job posters don’t know you, and you don’t know them. Some tips for coming across authentically:
- Verify your profiles on platforms where that’s possible (LinkedIn, Facebook).
- Use your real name; or, if you use a “handle” online, be sure to state that in your resume.
- Be as polished and professional as possible. Scammers are generally rude and in a hurry to get whatever they’re after, such as names, logins and passwords.
- Stay up-to-date with your social networking profiles. Include your real-world experiences, real people you know from your career, business and life.
- Post high quality content on a regular basis so it appears that a real person is communicating.
- Limit your use of “regurgitated content.” Too many social media memes and not enough authentic photos of real-life experiences will cause doubt.
- The less polished your video content, the more authentic you’re likely to be perceived.
Red flags to watch for if you’re worried about job search scams:
- Recruiters that lack authentic content on their profile online
- Phone calls and texts from “spam numbers,” or phone numbers that don’t match the company you’re supposedly being hired to work for.
- Rushed, rude communication, via text or telephone
- Asking you for what seems like a lot of, or too much, personal info without giving any info about the company or hiring manager
- Lacking a Careers page of their company website (not every company has one, but if they do, it’s a stronger indicator that this is a legit offer)
- The wording of the job offer seems like pickup copy from elsewhere
- Asking for your personal info or login info, ie phishing
- Links in emails that go to a fake site or a spoof site
Take precautions during the job search
- Never provide your login credentials to a stranger, even if it’s via a link you’re sent on email.
- If a so-called recruiter asks for personal information like your social security number or bank account, don’t share the info and end the transaction immediately.
- If you’re not sure about a job posting, become a detective online before giving the company any identifying info.
- Consider getting a contractless phone and free email account to use exclusively for job searching purposes.
- If you’re asked to submit a video by a company whose identity you feel shaky on, pull back and wait until you’ve researched them and spoken to someone at the firm to confirm the legitimacy of this opportunity.
- If something feels off, trust your gut.
- If you see a job posted on one of the aggregate job search sites that looks good, fact check it by visiting the company’s career page of their website, or calling them and asking questions.
- If someone unfamiliar calls or texts with an offer from an unfamiliar number claiming to be Company X, Y or Z, you can always Google the main phone number of that company and ask for the hiring manager of their department to be sure the info you found online is valid.
Recruiter: real or fake?
Last Friday, I received a call from a NJ based company whose name didn’t ring a bell. But I wasn’t sure, so I picked up. The caller addressed me by name immediately (“Is this Dina?”), which caused me to hang up. After checking the company name a second time, I realized this was a place that I’d applied for a job at recently that I had found on one of the job search sites. Either she called again, or I called her; not sure which, but we spoke.
The thing is: when you’re using the job posting sites, it’s hard to keep track of all this. We can pretend we’re meticulously researching each and every company that posts an opportunity. But only the really promising ones will get our full attention, due to the sheer volume of postings.
I did speak with the woman who had called; she claimed to be a recruiter for said company. I asked her name and she provided a bit of personal info, explained her role at the company, talked about the opportunity, and seemed professional and friendly enough.
She told me that the marketing director would love to speak with me, along with five or so other candidates they’d spotted, at some point that day if I was available. I gave her a 1pm to 3pm time slot; she said the marketing person would call me back.
I researched the company in anticipation of our call; it seemed like this could be a great fit for my skills. (Yes, there were other things I could have been doing at that moment. But I set all of those aside for an unexpected opportunity, to meet the person halfway, presumably to make a connection.)
For good measure, I did call them back just as due diligence. I heard their voicemail greeting with option to use their employee phone directory, all of which gave me confidence that this was legit.
The marketing director did not call to talk with me between 1 and 3pm, as the recruiter and I had discussed. I called one more time at 3pm in case there was a mixup. My call was routed to voicemail, and I received no follow-up communication on the Monday or Tuesday following this exchange.
I’m a very detail-oriented person, so I have looked up the names of the recruiter and the marketing director. Both appear on LinkedIn, though I can’t verify if the recruiter’s profile is a true match because there’s not a lot of info on her profile and she doesn’t post regularly.
The marketing director does appear legit, and is connected to said company. I am now debating reaching out to the marketing director a little more assertively. A lot of things do run through your mind: is this overstepping boundaries? I may do this over the next few days, considering the pros and cons of said actions. Since Friday was their “reach out” day, I’ll follow suit, and see if I can’t reach her Thursday (July 3) before she or any other employees cut out early in time for the holiday weekend.
Stay vigilant and be safe out there!
The 2025 job search has become quite hairy, and it’s definitely a buyer’s market. Don’t try to hurry things along, as you’re more likely to trip up and get burned. Always research every potential job and company thoroughly. Pay close attention to the hiring process. Accept interviews even if it’s not the ideal role for you – this will give you practice and familiarize you with how things are done.
It’s really rough out there, but I did want to share a list of safe measures to take if you’re job or gig-hunting and want to protect yourself from scams.
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