Sadly, online job scams targeting older adults have been an issue for years. However, in a pandemic job market, cybercriminals are working overtime to devise schemes that exploit job seekers’ need for financial security.
According to the Better Business Bureau, Americans lost more than $62 million in employment scams in 2020. In addition, with federal unemployment benefits ending this month, that number is expected to rise as more people head online to look for work.
Online hiring scams can be hard to detect because scammers advertise job opportunities the same way legitimate employers do—via online ads, job sites, and popular social networking channels. They promise job seekers opportunity and hope but are carefully designed to the applicant’s personal information or deceive them into sending money.
Online Hiring Scams
Here are just a few examples of online jobs scams targeting older adults and a few ways to avoid becoming a victim.
Bogus LinkedIn job offers
Last year the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) identified and shut down a scam on LinkedIn in which a company sent potential job candidates a direct message promising a high-paying job still unpublished to the public. The catch? Potential candidates were asked to pay a fee of up to $2,500 to set up the interview. Variations of this scam, using LinkedIn as a channel, may be in play.
Fraudulent employers
Some scammers are getting especially bold and posting job openings using the names, logos, and even staff names from legitimate companies to lure unsuspecting job seekers into fake interviews. After a questionnaire or interview, the company informs the ..
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