How to Ignore Spam Job Search Messages

Job seekers, beware. If you’re searching, networking, or just active here on LinkedIn, you’ve probably seen them: ✨ The “too good to be true” recruiter ✨ The “HR manager” who insists on WhatsApp or another chat app ✨ The brand-new account offering remote work and a signing bonus today Like many of you, I’ve reported and blocked more scammers than I can count. They’re getting more creative and subversive, but their patterns, if you're familiar or informed enough to see them, rarely change. Here are common red flags to watch for: 🚩 They ask for money or bank info early. Legitimate employers never charge you to apply, train, or onboard. 🚩 They push you to use Telegram/WhatsApp/Signal. Real companies use official emails, LinkedIn, or an ATS, not encrypted chat apps. 🚩 Their email isn’t from the company domain. Look closely at the email domain. @company.com vs. @companyjobs.com. Google the domain to confirm. 🚩 Too flattering, too urgent. If they act like you’ve as good as landed the role before a real interview, it’s bait. 🚩 Vague job descriptions. Scammers often paste generic text with no substance. 🚩 The role isn’t on the company website. Always cross-check on the official careers page (not the link they send you). 🚩 They get defensive when questioned. Legit recruiters want you to feel informed. 🚩 Suspicious profiles. Check “More > About this profile.” Is it brand new? Low activity? Repetitive posts? 🚩 They ask you to install software. Don’t. Ever. Not every scammer is a bot. Some are real people with real reputations, using real profiles to make a quick buck at your expense. If they rely on fear, exploiting myths, urgency, or fluffy promises instead of transparent information, you can bet it’s not legit. If something feels off, trust your instincts. Take a screenshot or ask a trusted connection. Report it and block it. It’s not embarrassing to be targeted. By speaking up, you protect yourself and others. Your safety matters more than any job lead.

The Spam in My Pocket: A Recruiter’s Take on the Rise of Scammy Job Texts This morning, I woke up to another unsolicited job text. “Hi, I’m Lily from KLARNA…” it began—offering $500 a day for 90 minutes of remote work, “free training,” and a suspiciously vague task involving “visibility and bookings.” Here’s the thing: I’m a recruiter. I live and breathe this industry. And even I had to blink twice. These kinds of messages are everywhere now. Dressed in language meant to sound official, generous, and urgent—while hiding the fact they’re likely scams trying to bait job seekers into giving up personal info or worse. I get the appeal. People are looking for flexible work. They’re burned out, underpaid, and trying to make it all work. And yes—legitimate recruiters DO use text messaging to reach out to talent. But here’s the problem: scam texts are flooding the zone, making it harder for real opportunities to break through the noise. It creates mistrust. It makes people skeptical of even real offers. And it pollutes the very channels recruiters use to do good, honest work. So, here are a few real-world tips to spot a fake job text before it wastes your time (or compromises your data): 1. Too good to be true? It probably is. $500/day for 90 minutes of remote work? Sounds amazing. Too amazing. Most jobs that pay that much require a lot more than a resume forwarded by “online agencies.” 2. Check the company’s official channels. If Klarna—or any company—has 20 urgent remote openings, you’ll see it on their Careers page. You won’t only hear about it via a 7:10 AM iMessage. 3. No professional email, no deal. If a recruiter’s reaching out, they should have a verifiable email, LinkedIn profile, and some kind of online presence tied to the company or agency they represent. 4. Watch for vague roles. “Helping merchants update data” and “increasing bookings” without any mention of the actual job function? That’s a smoke signal. 5. Ask questions. A legitimate recruiter won’t panic if you ask who they report to, what department they’re in, or how they got your information. A scammer will. We’re in a weird moment in recruiting. AI-generated messages, offshore text blasts, and predatory scams are muddying the waters. If you’re job searching, stay sharp—but don’t get jaded. There are still real people doing real recruiting with care, integrity, and transparency. You just have to know how to separate the signal from the noise. And recruiters? Let’s take back the credibility of our craft. — Want help spotting shady outreach? Drop a comment or DM me. We’re in this together. #recruiting #jobsearch #scamalert #talentacquisition

This message goes out to all, whether or not you're looking for a job. But, job seekers, please be extra vigilant. Scammers are taking advantage of people like you at an alarming rate with more frequent and more sophisticated ploys to steal your information, money, and ultimately your trust. The good news is, many of these scammers are lazy, using messages that share DNA that is easy to spot, report, and delete. The screenshot is one I received, let's take a look. 1) Suspicious sender: katherinegarciaguq@outlook.fr 2) Name mismatch: Look at the sender's email and location and the name in the message Katherine and Rachel? Which one is correct? Neither. 3) Formulaic messaging: "Your resume has been recommended by several online recruitment companies..." No it hasn't. 4) Remote work: While there is plenty of legitimate remote work, this is often a red flag. 5) Math isn't mathing: "60 to 90 minutes daily and earn $200 to $500 per day. The base salary is $800 for every 4 days worked, with a 5-day probation period. Afterward you can sign a contract with a base salary of $5,000 per month plus a performance bonus of $1,000 to $3,000." SAY WHAT? 6) Dumb job descriptions: "This flexible role involves assisting (Adjust) merchants with data updates, visibility, and bookings." What's the job title? 7) Telegram, Whatsapp, etc.: Asks you to send a message to a different number, or even says to send via Telegram or Whatsapp. Sometimes you just need to trust your gut. These are extra steps, but you must protect yourself. Here's a are some suggestions: If you ever receive a similar message appearing to be from Energy Hire, rest assured it is not legit. Our Recruiting Specialists are easily identifiable, and verifiable, something a scammer can't do. If you need someone to take a look at a potentially suspicious message you've received, ask a friend or family member to help make a call before you reply. You can also message Michael M. or me and we'll help if we can. #consumerprotection #caveatemptor #protectyourself

I've reached my limit with job scams. It's unacceptable that people are being exploited during their job search. I'm sharing this to help others avoid the same frustration. In today's competitive job market, vigilance is key. Scammers are increasingly sophisticated, targeting job seekers with fraudulent offers. Here's how to spot potential red flags in job interview and offer emails: 1. Verify the Sender: Cross-reference the sender's name and title with the company's official website, LinkedIn, and platforms like Glassdoor. If you can't confirm their association, proceed with caution. 2. Email Domain and Addresses:Legitimate companies typically use professional email domains. Be wary of emails from generic addresses like Gmail, Outlook, or Hotmail. 3. Pay close attention to CC recipients. Mass emails to multiple personal email addresses are a significant warning sign. 4. Unrealistic Promises:"Too good to be true" offers regarding salary, benefits, or work hours should raise immediate suspicion. Research industry standards to gauge realistic expectations. 5. Excessive Detail in Initial Contact:While some information is necessary, an interview request laden with excessive details, especially financial or personal, is a potential red flag. 6. Suspicious Links and Meeting Platforms: Be cautious of direct, specific links to Zoom, Teams, or "chat" platforms provided in unsolicited emails. Verify meeting details through official company channels. 7. Requests for Payment or Personal Financial Information: Legitimate employers will never ask for payment or sensitive financial details during the initial stages of the hiring process. 8. Lack of Professionalism in Signatures and Branding: Look for proper company logos, HR contact information, and professional signatures. The absence of these elements is a major warning sign. 9. Absence of Company HR Identification: A legitimate company will have a HR department. If there is no mention of HR, or a way to contact them, be very concerned. At last but not least, stay informed and protect yourself. Share these tips with your network to help others avoid falling victim to job scams. If you encounter a suspicious offer, request for interviews or requesting other information, report it to the relevant job board and authorities. #JobSearch #CareerAdvice #ScamAlert #JobScams #LinkedInTips #FraudPrevention #HiringTips

🚨 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗱𝘀-𝘂𝗽 𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘀𝗰𝗮𝗺𝘀 🚨 Most of us have spotted fake recruiters on LinkedIn. Lately, though, I’m seeing a surge of text-message offers that promise “$150–$500 a day for 60 minutes of work” and push you to reply on WhatsApp. These messages often impersonate well-known staffing firms, use generic Gmail or unfamiliar domains, and dangle huge pay for minimal effort. These are all classic red flags. Here are 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘆 𝘀𝗮𝗳𝗲: 𝟭. 𝗩𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗯𝗲𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗹𝘆. Look up the company’s official career site. Legitimate recruiters don’t hire by random text. 𝟮. 𝗚𝘂𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗮. Never share Social Security numbers, banking details, or copies of your ID until you’ve confirmed a real job offer with a signed contract. 𝟯. 𝗠𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝗮 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗹. If you suspect a scam, screenshot the message, report it to your carrier, and block the number. Employment scams prey on urgency and excitement. Slow down, check the source, and protect your information. Have you received one of these texts recently? #JobSearchTips #CareerAdvice #EmploymentScams #ResumeWriter #JobSeekersBeware

That recruiter who messaged you and asked to switch to WhatsApp... Yeah… probably not a real recruiter. Here’s how to spot the scam before it wastes your time. I’ve been hearing this more and more from candidates. It starts with a vague job pitch. Then they ask for your resume, phone number, or worse. Before you engage, check for red flags: 🚩 Foreign country location 🚩 Vague or incomplete profile 🚩 Few connections or mutuals 🚩 Grammar or tone that feels off 🚩 Stock or blurry profile photo 🚩 Buzzword heavy “About” section 🚩 Spammy comments on other's posts Still not sure? Try these next steps... 1️⃣ Ask them for their company email and phone number 2️⃣ Research their company website 3️⃣ Call the main line to confirm they work there Ultimately, if it feels off, it probably is. Trust your gut. #jobsearch #scamalert #interviewing

❗ Heads-up on Recruiting scams ❗ We've been seeing increasing cases of scammers reaching out on LinkedIn and email pretending to be Recruiters or Sourcers. If someone claims to be from a company, they should be emailing you from a company domain—never from Gmail or another public address.   If you get one of these messages, delete it, mark it as junk and you also should never click on any links in these messages. If you're comfortable with it, send the actual Recruiter/Sourcer a message letting them know, so they can report it. It’s frustrating that both recruiters and job seekers have to deal with this, but staying alert helps protect everyone.   Stay sharp out there!