Cybercriminals are putting a new twist on an old trick
Scammers are combining spoofed company websites and fake job ads to trick unsuspecting job seekers into surrendering their sensitive information and paying fraudulent fees.
According to a recent public service announcement by the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), fraudsters increasingly post job openings on legitimate job boards and, in order to boost their aura of authenticity, direct people to fake domains whose names resemble those of real, reputable companies. The goal is to hoodwink job seekers into parting with their personal information that could be misused for a whole range of illicit activities, such as opening bank accounts in the victims’ names or even in getting fake documents.
Many people, duly excited about the prospect of being hired, apply on the fake websites or respond to the ads. “According to victims, cybercriminals impersonate personnel from different departments, including recruiters, talent acquisition, human resources, and department managers,” said the FBI.
After the victim is interviewed and “hired”, they will receive a fake employment contract to physically sign, and a request to provide a copy of their personal information. Usually, that consists of a copy of a driver’s license, Social Security number, direct deposit information, and credit card information. The scammers may turn it up a notch by also requesting that the victim should pay upfront for a variety of things, such as a background check or equipment. After the money is transferred, their scam concluded, they stop replying.
How to protect yourself
It is understandable that in a quest for a job we get so excited by the possibility of getting hired that we tend t ..
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