Posted
on Wednesday, July 30, 2025
in
Privacy & Security
Scam of the Week: This Job Doesn't Pass a Background Check
In this week's scam, cybercriminals are targeting job-seekers. Let’s say that you’re searching for work using a job site such as ZipRecruiter or LinkedIn. You come across a job posting that seems suspiciously good. The position appears to be with a well-known organization and offers a high salary for what seems to be an easy role. You apply, and within a day, you receive a follow-up email from a "hiring manager."
The hiring manager wants to meet with you and asks you to click a link so that you can confirm your direct deposit information before the interview. You are taken to a page that asks you for your credit card information, Social Security number, and home address. The catch is that the job you applied for was actually fake and posted by cybercriminals. If you enter any personal or financial information on the page, they will be able to steal it!
Follow these tips to avoid falling victim to a job scam:
-
Be suspicious of jobs with unusually high pay. If a salary seems too good to be true, it probably is.
-
Use extreme caution before providing any personal or financial information, until you are sure that the employer and job offer are legitimate.
-
Pay attention to the job recruiter's contact information. Scammers often use phone numbers or email addresses that aren’t affiliated with the organization they claim to work for.
Stop, Look, and Think. Don't be fooled.
Article provided by:
KnowBe4.com
- account security
- ai
- artificial intelligence
- cyberattack
- cybercriminal
- cybersecurity
- data leak
- digital
- false information
- fraud
- malware
- money
- phishing
- phone
- ransomware
- red flags
- scam
- security
- sensitivity
- text