Common LinkedIn Scam Tactics to Watch For

JOB SEEKERS: You are being preyed upon by a very common (but very sneaky) scam running rampant on LinkedIn right now. I'm going to explain it so you can spot it and avoid it. Here's how it works: Basically a fake "recruiter" will reach out to you and ask if you're interested in a job. This person may send you a DM, or they may spot you in the comments somewhere talking about your job search. Or, you may be referred to a "recruiter" by a normal-looking person on LinkedIn (who is also probably in the comments under a post), who will give you a fake recruiter's email that you're supposed to reach out to. They'll look at your profile or read your comments to see what jobs you're targeting. Then, they'll send you a job description that looks legit, maybe even from a big company (like Amazon). Here's where most people get fooled: the job is real. You'll probably find the same open position or job post on the company's website. The part that ISN'T real? The recruiter. But that is almost impossible to catch right away. Why? Because they're either messaging you on LinkedIn from a fake profile that looks 100% legit, OR they're emailing you and their email signature links you back to a legit profile (that isn't actually them). Their email address might even look legit at first glance. LI profile created in 2010. Real photo. 500+ connections. Recruiting Manager at Amazon. Complete work history. Now you believe that you're talking to a real recruiter or the person they are impersonating. After they get you excited about the opportunity, they'll make everything else look legit. They'll ask you some screening questions (salary expectations, work experience, etc.) and ask for your current resume. Then, the scam starts. They'll say something about needing to run your resume through a very specific automated screening process. Usually they will emphasize urgency here and how important this automated process is to select you for an interview. This is to keep you locked in. Then they will inform you that your resume did not pass their screening process (and will use a bogus software name). They will tell you how the system is strict, but that since you were REFERRED to the position by someone, you'll be given a RARE chance to correct your resume for your system. Then they'll direct you to a resume writer or service (typically on a site like Fiverr), where they'll tell you that you need to pay a few hundred bucks to get your resume reformatted to pass the screening. Then they'll tell you that you need a cover letter written. Then your LI profile optimized. And because you think this is a legit opportunity, it can be hard to spot the red flags. But it isn't legit. And now you've paid for a new resume, cover letter & profile upgrade to pass a fake screening process from a fake recruiter. Now that you're aware of this scam, please be vigilant. And please consider sharing this post to help others avoid getting taken advantage of.

🚩 A cautionary tale for jobseekers. I recently received two job offers through LinkedIn’s Easy Apply. No interviews. No phone calls. Just instant offers. At first glance, they looked real. One even claimed to be from Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance. But something felt off. The recruiters who contacted me have now disappeared. The emails came from random Outlook addresses, not company domains. And I later got confirmation that the company’s account had been hacked. Since then, I’ve seen others post about nearly identical fake offers. This is more common than we think. The entire process skipped all real verification. In short: it was a scam. In a market where people are actively job hunting, scams like these are getting harder to spot, and much more dangerous. Please stay sharp: ✅ Double-check email domains ✅ Verify recruiter profiles ✅ If it sounds too easy, it probably is. Stay safe out there. Kabir Chaturvedi 🔍

🚨 𝐈 𝐀𝐥𝐦𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐅𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐉𝐨𝐛 𝐒𝐜𝐚𝐦 — 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞'𝐬 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐍𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐊𝐧𝐨𝐰 🚨 💬 I debated whether to share this — but if it protects even one person, it's worth it. As a recruiter, I've spent years helping people find real opportunities. Never did I imagine I would almost fall for a job scam myself. Recently, someone commented on my LinkedIn post, claiming my profile matched an unposted role at Zillow. She encouraged me to reach out to an "ex-employee" who was "privately recruiting" for a referral-only, high-priority role that wasn't advertised publicly. At first, everything sounded legitimate — there was a sense of urgency, professional emails, and even values-based questions to "assess fit." I was told my resume needed slight refinement to pass their internal hiring algorithm ("IDRRSA") and was quickly referred to a "trusted resume expert." Only after investing my time, energy, and hopes, did it become clear: ❌ The expert required an upfront fee. ❌ My revised resume was immediately rejected because I didn’t use their "service." ❌ They continued following up, trying to push me to pay to move forward to next step. That’s when I realized: this was a sophisticated scam using Zillow’s name to prey on job seekers. (And trust me, I know what real internal hiring processes look like.) I share this because: 🔹 Scammers are getting smarter — even recruiters can be targeted. 🔹 They exploit urgency, personalization, and the trust we place in referrals. 🔹 No legitimate recruiter should ever pressure you into paying for third-party services. If something feels "off," listen to that inner voice. 🫣 ↪️ Validate opportunities through official company websites. ↪️ Never pay for referrals, interviews, or "resume approvals." To anyone navigating a job search right now — I see you. Stay vigilant, protect your energy, and know that the right opportunity won’t require you to buy your way in. 💛 💛 If this resonates or if you’ve encountered similar scams, feel free to comment or share. Together, we can protect more people in our community. #Recruiting #JobScam #CareerSupport #JobSeekers #Hiring #Recruiters #StayVigilant #LinkedInCommunity

𝗪𝗔𝗥𝗡𝗜𝗡𝗚: 𝗜'𝘃𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱. Don't fall for it. Someone is using my name and website content to reach out to job seekers and offer a fake resume service (referred by a recruiter) on Fiverr. 𝗝𝗼𝗯 𝗦𝗲𝗲𝗸𝗲𝗿𝘀: 𝗗𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝗙𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗲 𝗦𝗰𝗮𝗺𝘀 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗠𝘆 𝗡𝗮𝗺𝗲 Scammers are getting smarter--and braver. Yesterday I was alerted by three (3!!) people I didn't know, who weren't looking for jobs, that I have been referred by a "recruiter" to rewrite their resumes, and it included a link to a Fiverr account. These "recruiters" were from IBM, Boeing, and Microsoft. I have looked them up on LinkedIn; one was on there, two were not. I reached out to the one, but haven't heard back. I don't know if it's a fake account. Let me be explicit: 𝗜 𝗮𝗺 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗼𝗻 𝗙𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗿. I am not a freelancer on gig-based platforms. If you see someone there purporting to be me, 𝙞𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙖 𝙨𝙘𝙖𝙢. Here's how such schemes operate: - They steal a company's or a person's name (like mine), website content, images, or create AI-generated photos and content to appear “legitimate.” - They lure job aspirants with lowered costs—even those who aren't looking. - The work is often plagiarized, rushed, or worse—never delivered. If they are caught, they take that profile down and rebuild a new one in 20 minutes. Getting caught isn't an issue for scammers. 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗺𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂: -Your resume is your personal brand, your reputation. -Turning over your employment story to someone unknown and unvetted puts not only money—but your credibility in the employment marketplace—at risk. 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗼 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗹𝗳: -Confirm you’re working directly with the person via their official website or LinkedIn profile. -Check out their testimonials on LinkedIn. -Do your due diligence and research that person. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Your job search is worth too much to leave in the hands of scammers. If you've been approached by someone and your spidey sense is telling you it's not right, trust that. Stay safe. p.s. the pic below is the real me. ☺️

Fake jobs. Real consequences If you're job searching, stay alert. Scammers are targeting candidates with fake offers that look convincing and it’s happening more often than you think. Common red flags to watch for: ❌You're offered a job without an interview. ❌The recruiter uses a personal email (like Gmail or Outlook). ❌You're asked to buy equipment or software with a promise of reimbursement. ❌They won’t meet via video or provide verifiable company details. ❌You're asked for sensitive information early on, banking, ID numbers, etc. Legitimate employers will never: ✔️Ask for money during the hiring process. ✔️Rush you to make a decision. ✔️Avoid video calls or hide behind vague job descriptions. What you can do: ✅ Research the company and recruiter. ✅ Verify job postings on the official company website. ✅ Be cautious with unsolicited messages or offers that feel “too easy”. ✅ Talk to someone you trust before taking action. Job scams exploit stress and urgency. Take your time, ask questions, and protect your personal information. Share this and potentially help someone else avoid it. #JobSearch #JobScams #CareerTips #HiringFraud #StaySafe

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

Let’s talk about the dark side of LinkedIn right now. Scammers are preying on people who are unemployed or #OpenToWork — and it needs to stop. 🚩 Fake recruiters and bots posting jobs that don’t exist. Some post a comment to connect with them about roles they're working on. 🚩 “Resume writers” and “career coaches” promising guaranteed jobs if you just pay them first. They reach out and put your resume through a system to show you a low score. Others tell you you're not getting interviews because of some mysterious ATS feature. (This is complete rubbish) 🚩 Imposters pretending to be real executives or recruiters to steal personal info. For people already under financial and emotional stress, this isn’t just unethical — it’s predatory. 👉 To job seekers: • Never pay for access to a role. • Double-check profiles and domains. • Trust your gut — if it feels off, it probably is. 👉 To the scammers: enough is enough. You’re exploiting people at their most vulnerable. 👉 To my network: if you see something suspicious, report it. If you know someone who’s struggling, check in. A small act of support can mean everything. The job search is already tough. Let’s not allow bad actors to make it harder. Have you come across these scammers too? Share your experiences below so we can help others spot the red flags. #JobSearch #ScamAwareness #LinkedInCommunity #OpenToWork