12 Tips To Avoid LinkedIn Scams In 2024
LinkedIn can be a great place to connect with potential employers, nurture professional relationships and discover new opportunities. However, it's also become a hunting ground for scammers trying to exploit job seekers using the platform to find their next opportunity.
In this blog post, we'll teach you how to avoid LinkedIn job scams and expose the latest techniques being used.
1. Research the Recruiter
Before you get too excited about a job opportunity, always check out the recruiter’s profile and the company page. Legitimate recruiters typically have detailed profiles, company information, and a credible online presence.
When researching someone on LinkedIn, watch out for:
2. Understand Common LinkedIn Scams
Scammers love to prey on job seekers, especially those who are actively seeking new opportunities or new to the professional world. If this sounds like you, it’s important to remember that you may be at a higher risk of being targeted. Some common scams doing the rounds include:
Fake Job Posting Scams
The Scam: Scammers post fake job listings to collect personal information from applicants.
How It Works: These listings often link to fake application forms that ask for details like your private contact details. This information is then used for spear-phishing attacks or sold to third parties.
Why It Works: The job postings look legitimate, often mimicking real company pages or recruiter profiles. This makes them tough to spot.
Fee-for-Training Scams
The Scam: Fake recruiters ask for upfront payments to cover training, tools, or certifications.
How It Works: Victims are promised a job but are told they must first pay for resources or training. Once payment is made, the scammer disappears.
Why It Works: People are eager to invest in their career, and the promise of a job makes the upfront payment seem like a minor hurdle.
Identity Theft Scams
The Scam: Scammers ask for sensitive personal information, like passport scans or Social Security numbers, to perform a background check.
How It Works: The scammer claims this information is required to process your application or onboard you for the role. They use this information for identity theft, such as opening credit lines in your name.
Why It Works: Background checks are a normal part of hiring, so these requests don't seem out of the ordinary.
Payment Forwarding Scams
The Scam: Victims are hired on the spot and tricked into moving money for the new employer.
How It Works: Scammers claim this is "part of the job" and instruct victims to transfer money, often using their personal accounts. The catch is that the money they send you is usually stolen.
Why It Works: Scammers exploit trust and urgency, making the job seem legitimate. Victims may feel pressured to act quickly. After all, it's their first day on the job!
Phishing Website Scams
The Scam: Scammers send links that redirect to fake LinkedIn login pages or phishing websites.
How It Works: The victim receives a convincing message or job offer with a link. This can be within LinkedIn Messenger or via email. Clicking it leads to a fake website where login credentials are stolen.
Why It Works: The excitement of a potential job can cloud your judgment. When you’re eager about a role, you’re less likely to question whether the message or link is legit.
AI-Powered Conversational Scams
The Scam: Scammers use generative AI to have personalized conversations at scale.
How It Works: A chatbot posing as a recruiter messages you on LinkedIn, referencing your exact skills and industry. After gaining your trust, they ask you to download malicious “job assessment software” or request direct access to your bank account for “payroll setup.”
Why It Works: With the massive enhancements in AI, these interactions feel authentic, plus they are tailored to you.
3. Verify Company Legitimacy
A professional-looking company logo isn’t enough. Verify the company’s authenticity by heading to their website, checking their LinkedIn company page, and researching them on platforms like Glassdoor. Even a quick Google search can go a long way to determining whether a company is legitimate or not.
Here are the red flags to look out for when researching a company:
4. Be Cautious With Job Offers That Require Immediate Action
Urgency is a classic scam tactic. If a recruiter pressures you to accept the job immediately without proper interviews or due diligence, pause and reassess.
Be wary of the following:
5. Beware of Requests for Personal Information
LinkedIn is wild social platform where sharing details with relative strangers is not only common but encouraged. After all, that's how networking works! Scammers take advantage of the willingness to share information on LinkedIn, often requesting sensitive information, such as personal or financial details, far earlier than would typically be required in a legitimate hiring process.
Be suspicious if:
6. Use LinkedIn Messaging For Early Communication
Keeping conversations on LinkedIn Messenger adds an extra layer of accountability. Scammers often try to quickly move conversations to email, WhatsApp, or phone calls, where it’s much easier for them to hide their identity.
That said, it’s normal that at some point in the recruitment process, you will switch to another mode of communication (usually email). When this happens, it’s important to trust your instincts. If a recruiter seems overly eager to move the conversation off LinkedIn too quickly, it could be a scam.
Here are some red flags to help you detect a scam:
7. Do A Reverse Image Search
If the recruiter’s photo seems off, take a screenshot and use a reverse image search tool like Google Lens or TinEye. This helps confirm if the image has been stolen from another website or profile. Here's how to do a reverse image search.
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Take a Screenshot:
Start by snapping a screenshot of the user's profile picture on your device.
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Upload It to TinEye or Google Lens:
Head to TinEye or use Google Lens for a reverse image search. On Google, click the camera icon in the search bar and upload your screenshot.
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Analyze the Results:
If the image shows up on multiple unrelated websites or is linked to different names and profiles, it’s likely that the photo might be stolen or fake.
8. Never Pay for a Job Opportunity
Legitimate employers do not charge applicants any kind of fee. Whether it’s for training, background checks, or equipment. If someone asks you to pay upfront, it’s almost certainly a scam.
Here are some common red flags to watch out for:
9. Carefully Examine Job Descriptions
Real job listings are usually detailed. They clearly outline the roles, responsibilities, required qualifications, and expected experience. However, with the meteoric rise of generative AI, scammers can now easily create realistic, fake listings. AI-written listings usually appear professional, but subtle red flags often give them away.
Here are some red flags to help you spot fake and potentially AI-generated job descriptions:
10. Look Into Other Employees
Look up employees at the company to see if their roles and experiences make sense. Scammers might create multiple fake profiles, but genuine companies have employees with diverse work histories, endorsements, and networks. This is incredibly hard to fake and a surefire way to spot a scammer.
When looking into other employees, here are some common red flags:
11. Know The Typical Hiring Steps
Most reputable companies follow a structured and logical hiring process to ensure they find the right person for the role. Scammers will usually skip important steps in the hiring process to expedite the scam. Familiarizing yourself with the usual steps can help you spot a job scam.
Here are the typical hiring steps for a LinkedIn job opportunity:
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Initial Application Through LinkedIn or Company Website:
After finding the job posting on LinkedIn, you’ll either apply directly through LinkedIn or be redirected to the company’s official website.
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Acknowledgment or Follow-Up Message:
Legitimate recruiters often send a follow-up message through LinkedIn or via email to confirm they’ve received your application. This is also when they might share additional details about the hiring process.
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Interview Rounds (Phone, Video, or In-Person):
Most companies will schedule at least one formal interview, often starting with a phone or video call. This is your opportunity to learn more about the role, and the recruiter or hiring manager will assess your experience and fit for the position. Depending on the organization or role, there may be subsequent interviews that could include panel discussions, technical interviews, or meetings with team members.
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Skills or Personality Assessments:
Depending on the role, you may be asked to complete a task, test, or project to demonstrate your skills. Some roles might also require a personality or cognitive assessment to determine your compatibility with the team and company standards.
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Background Check And Reference Checks:
Before you receive an offer, legitimate employers usually verify your references or, in some circumstances, conduct a background check.
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Formal Job Offer:
Once all steps are completed, you’ll receive a formal offer letter or contract. This will include key details like job responsibilities, salary, benefits, and start date. Offers are typically sent via email or through the company’s HR system—not via LinkedIn Messenger.
Be on high alert if, during the process, you receive any of the following:
12. Ask Questions And Trust Your Instincts
Always trust your gut! If something feels off, it probably is. Legitimate recruiters will answer your questions openly and encourage transparency. Scammers will dodge specific inquiries and quickly become defensive.
Here are some common traits of a conversation with a scammer:
Scammers are using AI to fool you.
Would you fall for AI-powered callback scam?
Listen and decide for yourselfFrequently Asked Questions
What is the most important tip to avoid LinkedIn scams?
The best way to avoid getting caught up in a job scam on LinkedIn is to research the legitimacy of the job and the recruiter. Look up the company on their official website, and check the recruiter’s LinkedIn profile to see if it looks real.
What are the most common red flags for LinkedIn scams?
How will LinkedIn scams evolve in the future?
In the near future, LinkedIn scams will likely become more sophisticated, leveraging AI-generated content and chatbots to perform mass-scale social engineering attacks. Further into the future, we'll most likely see real-time AI chatbots that are able to hold convincing video interviews. We might also see fully immersive fake company ecosystems, including realistic websites, employee profiles, and fake LinkedIn activity to back up their scams.
Gareth Shelwell
An Operations Manager dedicated to helping you safely swim amongst the internet of phish!