6 LinkedIn Recruitment Scams to Watch Out For

LinkedIn is a leading platform for professional networking and job searching, but this popularity also makes it a target for scammers. Despite LinkedIn’s security efforts, fraudsters continue to create sophisticated recruitment scams, tricking job seekers into revealing personal information or sending money.

From fake job postings to fraudulent recruiter profiles, these scams are on the rise and becoming harder to detect.

Here, we’ll cover six common LinkedIn recruitment scams, along with real-life examples to help you recognize and avoid them.

What are LinkedIn Recruitment Scams?

LinkedIn recruitment scams occur when scammers pose as recruiters or representatives of legitimate businesses, offering fake job opportunities to trick job seekers into sharing money or sensitive information, which can then be used for identity theft.

The most common method is through fake job listings. Although tools like Oleeo enable blind recruitment practices, and identity checks help combat these scams, it's essential to understand how they work.

Scammers target LinkedIn users because the platform hosts millions of professionals actively seeking new opportunities, making it easier for fraudsters to blend in. Exploiting LinkedIn’s trustworthiness and relatively lenient profile verification system, scammers can lure unsuspecting users with enticing job offers.

How to Avoid LinkedIn Recruitment Scams

While LinkedIn can be a great tool for job searching, it's crucial to stay alert to recruitment scams that put your personal information at risk. Scammers may even pose as appointment setters or coordinators to arrange fake interviews or meetings to gain your trust.

1. Research the Company and Recruiter

Verify both the recruiter and the company before engaging. Check the company's website, reviews, and the recruiter’s LinkedIn profile for any warning signs. Legitimate companies often rely on organized systems (such as Ardoq's enterprise architecture management) to manage recruitment, so if a company appears poorly organized, it could be a scam.

If possible, consider face-to-face meetings with local recruitment agencies, as they are more likely to have verified, credible opportunities.

2. Never Share Sensitive Information

Until you’re certain the job is legitimate, never provide sensitive information like Social Security numbers or banking details. A trustworthy employer won’t ask for these early in the hiring process; these are usually requested only after an official hire.

You need to consider the type of information a company will require during the initial stages of recruitment; most candidate relationship management strategies leave gathering bank details/SSNs until after you are hired.

Scammers, however, may pressure you to share such details quickly by using tempting offers or urgency.

3. Report Suspicious Activity

Report any suspicious job posts, messages, or profiles to LinkedIn immediately, as this helps protect others. If you think a scammer is impersonating a company, reach out to the actual company to verify.

When a company is legitimate, they will often stick to a master schedule to ensure timely and structured communication with candidates. If you notice any irregularities or gaps in the process, it may be a warning sign of a scam.

The same goes for the methods of communication. Legitimate companies will use secure and reliable communication channels to keep candidates informed, such as an outbound and inbound call center solution. If the communication you encounter seems unprofessional or you are diverted to insecure platforms, you should see this as a red flag and proceed with caution. 

The Rise of Recruitment Scams: Why They’re Becoming More Common

Recruitment scams are becoming more common, but why is this exactly? Let’s explore this more. 

Increased Use of Remote Work

Remote work has become more popular in recent years; therefore, LinkedIn has become an even more appealing location for job seekers and scammers. Nowadays, a lot of remote jobs are advertised online, and scammers use the absence of actual office locations to their advantage by fabricating job openings.

Easy Creation of Fake Profiles

Because LinkedIn's verification procedure is not perfect, scammers can easily fabricate false profiles. They’ll often take on new and multiple identities, making it challenging to tell the difference between fraudsters and genuine recruiters. 

The Use of Social Engineering Techniques

Scammers use sophisticated social engineering techniques to manipulate job seekers so that they will provide sensitive information. 

• Urgency: They may create a sense of urgency, implying a competitive job opportunity needs a quick response. This can encourage individuals to overlook warning signs out of fear of missing out. 
• Impersonation: They may impersonate a reputable company and use official looking emails and correspondence. 
• Personalization: By using specific details from your LinkedIn account, a scammer can make the message sound more legitimate. 
• Social proof: Scammers may fabricate testimonials to create an illusion of credibility. 

Top LinkedIn Recruitment Scams to Watch Out For

LinkedIn is a professional platform that continues to grow in size and influence, now boasting over 300 million active users. With a high number of users, it’s not a surprise that scammers are actively attempting to target LinkedIn users. Many of these scams can look convincing at first glance. However, there are red flags that you can watch out for. 

Let's look at some of the top LinkedIn recruitment scams to watch out for, along with some real-world examples. 

Fake Job Postings

Fake job postings are one of the most common scams on LinkedIn. These listings can be very difficult to spot because they appear legitimate. One clear sign is often an extremely generous salary. 

Once you apply for one of these positions, a scammer may ask for your bank details, personal details, and more. They will usually state that things are for background checks. Before you rush to apply for a job, make sure you take the time to judge the legitimacy of a job posting and then send a polished online resume.

Example: Fake remote job scam

A job seeker was contacted by a scammer after seeing an advert online. They asked her for her passport in order to verify her for an interview. They were extremely convincing in the way they mimicked a real recruitment company, so she didn’t suspect anything. She realized it was a scam after not hearing anything for a few days and a credit check appearing on her credit file. She phoned the real recruitment company, and it was confirmed that it was a fake job advert. 

How to identify a fake job posting

• Unrealistic benefits or pay: You should be wary of any jobs that offer unusually high salaries for minimal experience or work. 
• Asking for sensitive information early: If you are asked for personal information before you progress to the next stages of a job application or before you have had an interview, then something might be missed.
• No verified company information: Confirm that the company is real by checking reviews on their website, LinkedIn profile, and the validity of their email.

Fake Recruiter Profiles

Some scammers create fake recruiter profiles and use stolen images and fabricated professional histories to make themselves appear legitimate.

Usually, they will connect with users and offer job opportunities; they will try to get the victim to provide their bank details, share personal information, or pay fees for things such as visas or background checks.

Example: Fake recruiters claim to be from a well-known company

A LinkedIn user was targeted by a scammer who presented himself as a recruiter for a UK-based company hiring content writers. They sent a message that piqued the job seekers' interest because they would facilitate a relocation and work visa, and said they would arrange an interview if she were interested.

Her suspicions were raised when she discovered that the job would be in Saudi Arabia rather than the UK, and the recruiter was ‘cagey’ about the details. When she contacted LinkedIn, she was advised to block him as a probable fraudster. 

How to spot a fake recruiter

• Incomplete, suspicious profiles: When verifying recruiters, be wary of those with few contacts, no endorsements, and generic job titles.  
• Asking for money: A legitimate recruiter will never ask for money to gain a job.
• Job offer without interview: Be wary of recruiters who offer a position without completing a thorough interview.

Phishing Links and Malware

Some LinkedIn scammers use phishing URLs hidden in links in fake job postings or messages to install malware on your device and steal your details or login information. These phishing URLs may take you to a fake LinkedIn login page, where you are encouraged to submit your credentials.

Real-life example: Fake job postings with phishing links

A business founder fell victim to this type of scam when he was asked to click on a link to verify his account from a link that seemed legitimate. He naively clicked on the link, which directed him to a malicious website that mimicked LinkedIn’s login page.

After he unknowingly entered his details, the scammer gained access to his account. It was only after unauthorized activity happened, such as messages sent to his connections and unauthorized changes to his profile, that he realized he had been a victim of a scam. 

How to protect yourself  from phishing links

• Hover over links before clicking. Before you click on a link, make sure it takes you to a trustworthy website.
• Check for HTTPS in URLs: Always confirm that the website has a secure connection.
• Enable two-factor authentication: You can add an extra layer of security to your LinkedIn account, and this will help you avoid illegal access. Both free and premium accounts have this option.

Pay-to-apply Scams

Some recruitment scammers demand payment from job applicants in order to process their applications, pay for training, or apply for positions. The scammer vanishes as soon as you send the money, and the job is fake.

During the hiring process, legitimate employers will never request payment from job candidates.

Fake background checks are another common way scammers obtain funds from potential applicants. Let’s say you apply for a role as a school schedule administrator - they’ll offer you the job, but tell you as it’s working around children they need to do a background check on you.

While it is true that many jobs require background checks, it should always be done via a legitimate third party and not require money upfront. 

Real-life example: Application processing fee scam

A job seeker fell victim to a recruitment scam and lost £3000, which left her feeling attacked and distraught.

At just eighteen years old, she was contacted by scammers through messages and phone calls. She thought that she had taken part in a real job interview, but the scammers tricked her into providing her card details before stealing the money. 

How to avoid falling for this scam

• Never make payment to apply or interview for a job: No legitimate company will ask you to pay for either of these. 
• Research the company and recruiter: Make sure the company and recruiter are real before you provide any sensitive information or agree to complete any work. 
• Most legitimate employers will cover the costs for a background check: If you need to have a background check completed, a lot of legitimate employers will cover the cost. 

Job Offer Scams

Employment offers that look too good to be true are a common aspect of job offer scams. Recruitment scammers will often fool job seekers by providing high-paying job roles.

These roles will usually involve little responsibility in the job role. After the offer is accepted, the scammer might ask for money or personal details so they can steal them.

To protect yourself from this, you need to look for established organizations that have a verifiable recruitment process that you can track - see Oleeo's guide to NHS recruitment process for an example. 

Real-life Example: Overseas job offer with fake visa processing fees

In May 2024, Airswift announced that they are aware that there are scammers who are posing as their Chief Revenue Officer. This scam is false, claiming that she has the authority to secure US visas for potential job offers using a fake profile. The scammer is requesting funds nearing $470 to do this.

Is it a legitimate job offer?

• Unrealistic perks or pay: Offers that are too good to be true are usually just that. 
• No interview: Most companies will require you to interview before they offer you a job. 
• Pressure: Scammers will often pressure job seekers to make a quick decision, whether it's sharing personal details or paying for job-related costs.

Final Thoughts

The sophistication of LinkedIn recruitment scams is continually on the rise. Therefore, it is more important than ever for job seekers to be cautious when they are job hunting.

Fake recruiter profiles, phishing scams, fake job listings, fee requests, and promises that are too good to be true are some of the main things you need to be mindful of. If you aren't vigilant, you may fall victim.

Protect yourself by doing your research, learning about the company, and never transferring money or providing personal information until you are sure that the job opportunity and company are both legitimate.

By using the advice in the article, you should be able to steer clear of LinkedIn recruitment scams now that you know what to watch out for.