Job scams: fraudsters are posing as employers and recruiters on Indeed and LinkedIn
Scammers are targeting job hunters on the employment websites Indeed and LinkedIn.
We’ve uncovered examples of fraudsters posing as genuine recruiters and impersonating companies to scam people searching for jobs.
Read on to learn about some of the most dangerous job scams doing the rounds and for advice on how to safely search for jobs online.
Outsmart the scammers – our free scam alert service can help you spot and avoid the latest scams
The dangers posed by job scams
Online platforms such as Indeed and LinkedIn aim to make it easier for people to find and apply for jobs from the comfort of their own home.
But fraudsters are always lurking – and job scams are more common than you might think. Data from Ofcom shows that of 43 million adults who have encountered scams or fraud online, 30% have come across fake employment scams.
JobsAware, an organisation providing free help and advice to jobseekers, says one in five people targeted by fake jobs lose money. According to its recent survey, the average sum lost is £2,300.
Impersonation scams on Indeed
After a tip-off, we applied for a customer service job advertised on Indeed at a company called SJL Insurance. The company appeared to be legitimate, and the salary didn’t seem unrealistic.
A week later, we received an email from ‘Kate Hanson’. A quick online search showed this was the name of a genuine SJL employee.
However, Kate quickly told us that the job wasn’t in customer service. Instead, it involved transferring payments from clients.
Rather than asking us in for an interview, Kate said we’d need to pass verification checks with a company called Coinmama – a cryptocurrency exchange platform. We were asked to send a picture of our driving licence or passport, and a selfie holding our ID and a piece of paper with ‘Coinmama’ and the date written on it.
We were also asked for our address and bank details. When we told Kate we’d need time to review the contract, she said we must act quickly as the roles would soon be filled by other candidates.
We tracked down the real Kate Hanson, who confirmed we were talking to a scammer and that no such job was available at SJL Insurance. The company has reported the scam to Action Fraud.
In this instance, it’s likely the scammer was impersonating the company to hire money mules to transfer funds illegally between accounts via a genuine cryptocurrency platform.
Malware scams on LinkedIn
We’ve also found examples of scammers lurking on the careers website LinkedIn. We spoke to Esha Adams (name changed), who was contacted by a ‘recruiter’ claiming to be from L’Oreal about a digital marketing manager position.
The recruiter asked for Esha's email address and CV, before sending her an iCloud link to download a folder which they said contained more information about the role. Esha downloaded the folder. Soon after, the recruiter’s profile disappeared from LinkedIn.
When Esha opened the folder, it contained images, a video and files designed to install software on her device. This software is likely to be malware, which scammers use to access the information on your computer and steal your personal data.
Dodgy survey sites
The malware scam is dangerous, but it isn’t the only example of fraudulent behaviour we found on LinkedIn.
We also applied for ‘virtual assistant’ and data entry positions from suspicious-looking recruiters and immediately received emails congratulating us on getting the job. These messages included links to ‘next steps’ that needed to be taken, but all led to dodgy survey websites.
WhatsApp impersonation scams
Fake ‘recruiters’ are also searching for victims on WhatsApp. Job hunter Filip Bialek received an unsolicited message on WhatsApp from a scammer impersonating the London-based company Roc Recruitment about a fake role with an SEO and design agency called eBusiness UK.
Upon closer inspection, the ‘role’ involved submitting product reviews on a dodgy website. Filip was told that this work was to be conducted on behalf of retailers eBusiness UK does marketing for.
This is an example of a task scam, where you’re asked to undertake tasks to earn a commission that is paid in cryptocurrency. As you complete tasks, your ‘balance’ increases, which makes it appear as if you’re making money.
However, some tasks will send your ‘balance’ negative, meaning you’ll need to deposit your own money to get back on track. Initially, you might make small returns, but once the fraudster has gained your trust you’ll be asked for bigger and bigger deposits with the false promise of earning more commission.
eBusiness UK told us that it is aware of fraudsters impersonating the company, with some victims losing thousands of pounds. It said some scammers have gone as far as faking certificates signed by one of the company’s directors. The company confirmed that it has reported the scam to multiple authorities, including Action Fraud.
Types of job scams
Job scams come in many forms, and sometimes it can be difficult to understand exactly how the fraudster is trying to scam you.
Some other common job scams are as follows:
- Identity theft: during the ‘recruitment’ process, the fraudster asks for proof of identity, such as your passport or driving licence. They then use these details for activities such as opening bank accounts and applying for credit.
- Fake cheques: the fraudster will say you need to buy equipment for the job and send you a counterfeit cheque to make the purchase. You’ll be asked to transfer the money to a company or person that’s in on the scam. However, the cheque will then bounce, leaving you out of pocket.
- Advanced fee: this is when a ‘company’ asks you to pay for something, such as equipment to carry out a job. However, the equipment never materialises and the ‘company’ disappears with your money.
- Pyramid schemes: you’re recruited to an organisation under the premise of selling a product or service, but have to make a payment to join the company. You are promised more money for everyone you recruit.
How to stay safe when searching for jobs
The rise of remote working has made it harder than before to spot job scams. This means that even if you’re aware of the usual warning signs of a scam – such as poor spelling and grammar, being contacted out of the blue, and offers that seem too good to be true – that still might not be enough to help you spot a dodgy advert or message.
Follow these additional tips to safely search for jobs online:
- Never accept a job without a formal interview. If the interview is carried out remotely, it should be conducted via a recognised video platform (such as Zoom, Microsoft Teams or Google Meet) where you can see the interviewer and talk in real time.
- Never send personal information or download files off the back of a conversation on a job platform.
- Before applying for a job, research the company and check its records on Companies House. If you find the company, you could contact it using the details on its website to verify the job advert. One word of caution - sometimes scammers can set up fake businesses on Companies House.
- If you think the company’s website looks suspicious, check the URL on Who.is, which will tell you when and where the website was created. Newly created websites are a red flag.
How to report job scams
If you come across or experience a job scam, report it to Action Fraud and the platform on which you found the job.
If you've shared any personal information or documents, you could be vulnerable to identity fraud and should contact your bank immediately.
Change the passwords associated with the accounts or documents you shared and keep an eye on your credit report for any suspicious activity.
What are platforms doing to stop scammers?
- LinkedIn told us it uses teams of experts and AI to detect fraudulent activity, with 99% of spam and scam ads removed before members reported them. It has also launched a new feature where hirers can post jobs with 'verified' company information.
- Indeed says its search quality team assesses the suitability and validity of job listings and removes tens of millions of listings every month.
- WhatsApp didn't comment on our findings, but recommends that you report and delete suspicious messages and block the sender.
