A recent article written by Arani (2024) titled “The Reality of Fake Job Listings on LinkedIn: What You Need to Know” indicates that 60% of job listings on LinkedIn are fake. This is truly shocking to hear and is a big setback for many job seekers who rely on LinkedIn and use this platform to search and apply for jobs. While LinkedIn is generally a safe space for networking and job hunting, it’s important to remain cautious of these fake job listings. Arani (2024) states that these postings can serve various nefarious purposes, from data mining and phishing scams to boosting company profiles with inflated job offerings.
One way scammers trick applicants is by creating fake job advertisements on LinkedIn in order to collect phone numbers and emails from job applicants’ resumes. This can then be used for identity theft or sold on the black market. Some even go further by offering fake interviews under the name of the company. These companies select the candidates and say that they are offering them the role, however, afterwards they may request that the applicant make a payment to the company (e.g. registration fees or fees for filling forms) or to submit personal information.
A Reddit user named Pomahac (2024) cautioned that job scams on Linkedin are on the rise. “The scammers are quite sophisticated and knowledgeable about the field in which the fake job is in. They will have a (fake) profile of an HR manager or someone high up in the company. The paperwork they send you will have the correct company address and other details. It will look fairly legitimate.” However, what Pomahac (2024) encountered was that after being interviewed and receiving the job offer, they were asked to submit a void check or bank account info so they could deposit those funds directly. After calling the HR rep of the company they found out that a fake profile of the company was created on LinkedIn and that they were scammed.
These scams have impacted a Binghamton University student recently who shared that she encountered multiple job listing scams on LinkedIn where similar to Pomahac’s case she was interviewed after applying to the job postings. After receiving a job offer, after two rounds of interviews, the company asked her to visit their office location to sign the job offer agreement where she was asked to bring her SS#, driver’s license, and bank account information with her. This location was in a different state far away and the company did not offer to pay her for the travel. Thankfully, she didn’t fall into the trap and sought help in reviewing the job post. What was off about the job offers she received was that they were not going over the job offer details on the phone or emailing her the offer.
Here are ways to spot a fake job listings (Arani, 2024):
- Too Good to Be True: If a job listing promises an extraordinarily high salary, minimal qualifications, and great benefits with little to no experience required, it might be too good to be true.
- Vague Descriptions: Authentic job postings typically provide detailed descriptions of the role, required qualifications, and company information. Vague or generic descriptions can be a red flag.
- Unprofessional Communication: Poor grammar, spelling mistakes, and unprofessional language in job postings or follow-up communications through texting are indicators of a scam.
- Suspicious Application Process: Be wary if the application process involves providing sensitive information upfront, such as social security numbers or banking details, or if it redirects you to external websites.
- Lack of Company Details: Genuine job postings will often include detailed information about the company. A lack of such information or difficulty verifying the company’s existence should raise suspicions.
How to protect yourself:
- Research the company: Always research the company and the person offering the job. Look for reviews or any information that confirms that the posting is legitimate. For example, if you get emailed a job offer from a random name claiming they’re a recruiter, search up their name online (or on LinkedIn) to see if their claim stands.
- Don’t share sensitive information: Never share sensitive personal information (like bank details or your Social Security number) until you are sure that the job offer is legitimate, you have accepted the offer, and are in the final stages of hiring.
- Check LinkedIn profiles: Review the LinkedIn profile of the recruiter or hiring manager. Recruiters usually have a well established profile, a strong network, and actively post or share content on LinkedIn. If you can’t find this information then check the LinkedIn profile of the company you applied to. If the company’s LinkedIn page lacks details or doesn’t have a professional presence, it could be a scam. You can also search for the company online to see if it’s listed on job boards or has reviews from other employees.
- Use LinkedIn’s Reporting Tools: If you suspect a scam, report the message or profile to LinkedIn. This helps protect other users from falling victim to scams.
- Trust Your Instincts: If something feels off about the job offer or the person contacting you, trust your instincts and be cautious. Show the job offer to someone you know and trust. They may be able to give you a second opinion about the job offer.
Make an appointment with the Fleishman Center professional staff to review your job offer. We can help you identify if a job offer is legitimate or if there is something suspicious about it.
