This week’s episode is the presentation Jay, Ashley, and I gave at the Intel Corporation Alumni Network’s monthly “Path to Next Series.” A big shout-out to Gina Riley, a member of the organization, who invited us out to present “Avoid Job Scams.”
These are my notes for the presentation, “Path to Next Series: Avoiding Job Scams.” I’ve included the link to the Intel Alumni page here.
We provided and inferred a lot of information, but didn’t include the sources. With the help of AI, I found many of the relevant references.
Jay Jones
Jay provided fantastic insight into the psychological manipulations used by scammers and offered concrete strategies for defense, especially regarding profiles and data harvesting.
Ten Standout Points:
Jay established the core psychology of job scams: they target individuals who have recently been laid off, whose confidence is hit, and who are thus “primed to be scammed”.
He coined the term “recruiting love bombers” for scammers who use flattery (e.g., “How could someone of your caliber be in this job market?”) to play on the job seeker’s need for validation and attention.
Jay debunked the common scam tactic of claiming a resume “failed the ATS” or scored poorly (e.g., 20/100), explaining that the ATS is merely a digital filing cabinet.
He emphasized that scammers rely on the victim’s perceived need to act fast, pushing them down a “scammer pipeline” toward fake job offers.
He introduced the concept of “scam killing questions,” advising job seekers to regain control by asking critical questions like: “Who are you?”, “What is the website?”, and “What is the job requisition number?”.
Jay demonstrated how to perform a Boolean search (putting the job description in quotes on Google) to quickly find out if a supposed “fresh” job post is actually months old or closed.
He defined job scraping as the process where interlopers take job descriptions they have no affiliation with and use them to data harvest and sell job seekers’ information to data brokers.
He revealed a significant increase in hijacked profiles (inactive, verified, or premium accounts compromised by scammers), suggesting a tell-tale sign is when the career history does not match the person’s sudden new role (e.g., a construction worker claiming to be a resume writer).
Jay provided critical advice to treat a resume like a credit card application. The information, combined with public sites like Whitepages or Zillow, allows scammers to complete a background check request to obtain highly sensitive data, such as a driver’s license or Social Security number.
He encouraged the audience to understand that they are valuable and that the current chaotic job market does not reflect their true worth.
Ashley Price Horton
Ashley provided practical steps for job seekers to vet opportunities, avoid major job boards, and handle the aftermath of falling for a scam.
Ten Standout Points:
Ashley strongly advised against being “blindsided by emotion,” urging job seekers to stop, step back, and perform due diligence on every opportunity.
She recommends job seekers move away from third-party job boards like Indeed and LinkedIn, and instead, go straight to the source by using the legitimate company’s career website.
She emphasized checking the original career site because a job advertised as posted “3 hours ago” on a job board might have been published three months ago on the company’s site.
When dealing with legitimate external search firms, she stressed that due diligence is key; if you cannot find research or confirmation that the firm is well-known (like Tech Systems), the risk might be too high.
Ashley identified the classic scam warning sign: a recruiter post using the word “kindly” while offering the “perfect opportunity,” usually found in the profile’s comment section.
She pointed out that scammers often steal profile pictures of real, reputable individuals, including celebrities or executives, making visual vetting essential.
If a job seeker sends a resume to a scammer, she immediately advises locking their credit bureau accounts and only unlocking them briefly for legitimate applications.
Another key post-scam action is to immediately notify any references listed on the resume, warning them not to share information if contacted by nefarious actors.
Ashley advocated for balancing searchability (using keywords and career history on LinkedIn) with safety, recommending that job seekers not share personal details, such as email and phone numbers, publicly.
She maintains that the level of due diligence should be consistent regardless of the recruiter’s location (e.g., India), requiring evidence that they are a legitimate employee or partner of the leading company.
Mark Anthony Dyson
I focused on the critical importance of mindset, the future evolution of video scams, and the use of tools to verify the legitimacy of websites.
Ten Standout Points:
I stressed that the correct mindset starts before the job search; people should be intentional and purposeful in applying only to jobs that fit their role, avoiding the “spraying and praying” method.
I explained that job seekers can more easily recognize fake opportunities if they have already researched the realistic salary expectations for their industry and region.
I identified “layoff PTSD” and “unemployment fatigue” as conditions that create a scarcity mindset, making a job seeker vulnerable because they are “running on empty”.
I warned the audience that deep fake videos are quickly becoming the next significant job scam, where job seekers might soon have “fake video interviews” with realistic avatars.
To test for suspicious video interviews, I referenced the “John Cena test” by asking the interviewer to wave their hand in front of their face and say, “Hey, can you see me?” If the lips or video quality appear slow or suspect. If they can’t, the interviewer is an avatar or fake.
I specifically mentioned that federal government employees experiencing shutdowns may become vulnerable targets for scams offering fake government programs or certificate schemes.
I advised the audience to avoid pressing links from suspicious profiles entirely, as they are likely to install spyware or malware to track web activity and potentially steal financial information.
I recommended using whois.com to check the site owner of a suspicious URL and confirm if the ownership aligns with the legitimate company, with particular attention to avoiding recently created sites.
I pointed out that companies do not use fake URL extensions like careers-addeco.com. If a recruiter uses a non-proprietary URL (e.g., Gmail, Yahoo, or Outlook) or a URL with added extensions, it is a clear warning sign.
I provided my closing mantra for the audience: “Clarify, verify, but don’t just apply,” emphasizing the need to check every detail, no matter how laborious it seems.
Scale of the Problem
Job Scams Hit $2 Billion Annually
Employment-related scams now cost U.S. and Canadian job seekers over $2B each year, with 14 million people exposed annually.
Source: Better Business Bureau Scam Tracker, 2024
Job Scam Losses Triple Since 2020
Reported losses to employment scams surged more than threefold from 2020 to 2023, surpassing $220M in H1 2024 alone.
Source: Federal Trade Commission, Data Spotlight, 2024
Most Victims Block, Not Report
57% of Americans who encounter scam messages block rather than report them, allowing scam networks to persist.
Source: IPX1031 Fraud & Identity Theft in America, 2024
Psychology & Manipulation
‘Recruiting Love Bombers’ Exploit Validation
Scammers praise victims (‘someone of your caliber...’) to build trust and lower skepticism before phishing for data.
Source: FBI IC3 Employment Scam Bulletin, 2024
Layoffs Increase Scam Risk
Those recently laid off are emotionally vulnerable and thus more likely to fall for employment scams.
Source: FightCybercrime.org, 2024
Average Loss Per Victim: $8,700
Victims of job scams report median losses of $8,700, with personal data resold to brokers and reused in new scams.
Source: Surfshark Research, 2024
Fake Jobs & Data Harvesting
21% of Online Listings Are ‘Ghost Jobs’
Nearly a quarter of job ads are never intended to be filled; they collect resumes or maintain an illusion of growth.
Source: ArXiv Ghost Job Market Study, 2024
Job Scraping Enables Data Harvesting
Fake recruiters reuse legitimate postings to gather resumes, selling the data through illicit broker networks.
Source: Privacy Journal, 2025
AI & Deepfakes
‘Gamified’ Task Scams Explode
Scammers promise payment for small online ‘tasks’ but steal deposits or personal data instead.
Source: FTC Data Spotlight, 2024
Deepfake Job Interviews Emerging
AI-generated avatars and cloned voices now simulate recruiters or interviewers on video calls.
Source: Trend Micro Threat Report, 2024
Check Domain Age Before Applying
Verify URLs via WHOIS — fake career portals often use new or mismatched domains like careers-addeco.com.
Source: WHOIS & ScamAdviser Report, 2024
Recovery & Reporting
Freeze Credit Immediately After a Scam
Victims should lock their credit files and only unfreeze them for legitimate applications.
Source: FTC Consumer Advice, 2024
Notify References After Exposure
Inform references that scammers may impersonate recruiters and request personal data.
Source: Identity Theft Resource Center, 2024
Only 14% Report Job Scams
A minority of victims file official reports, perpetuating the underestimation of total scam volume.
Source: IPX1031 Survey, 2024
Finally…
I wanted to ensure that the companies I partner with for ‘The Job Scam Report’ were a good fit. The FBI reports Americans are losing significantly more to cybercrime than home burglaries, with digital crime financial losses reaching approximately $12.5 billion in 2023 alone.
Job search strategy and safety should be top of mind for all job seekers.
I’m happy to announce that “Aura’s All-in-One Online Safety is an affiliate of “The Job Scam Report.” It’s powered by AI to proactively help protect your identity, finances, and devices. With $1M Identity Theft Insurance and 24/7, U.S.-based expert support, you can job search with little worry of protecting your computer and personal information.
