Fake recruiters and job offers

How it works

Fake recruiters contact people on professional networking sites, by email or by text message. Some are after job seekers; others target employees of particular companies to get inside their networks.

Common versions:

• The skills test or job description that comes as a file to download, or a program to run. It installs malware.
• The quick offer that needs your bank details, a copy of your ID and your Social Security number for “onboarding” before any real interview.
• The equipment check: they send you a check to buy a laptop from their “approved supplier,” and the check bounces after you have paid.
• The video interview that asks you to install unfamiliar meeting software.

Signs it is fake

• The recruiter’s profile is new or has few connections, and the company’s own careers page does not list the role.
• The email comes from a free email service instead of the company’s own domain.
• There is no real interview, or it happens only in a chat app.
• You are asked to pay for anything, or to install anything.

What to do

Look up the company yourself and contact its recruiting team through its own website. Never run a file from a recruiter on a work computer. If a work device is involved, tell your IT provider.