Fake Job Ads On The Rise, Look Out For Your Data

According to the United States Secret Service, there’s been an increase in fraudulent job advertisements seeking to steal your data.

Cybercriminals who gain access to your personal information are intent on filing fake unemployment insurance claims. They lure you in with large salaries in up-and-coming markets– a promising offer for those seeking employment. The U.S. Department of Labor noted a record high percentage of workers, 2.9%, who quit their jobs this August. Intertwined with laid-off workers, the labor market is flooded with professionals looking for a new place to pick up a paycheck.

Threat actors are using this opportunity to switch up their game and target vulnerable individuals. Identity theft is lucrative for scammers, however there’s increasingly more hoops for them to jump through in order to steal data. Many places require a higher level of authentication when it comes to personal data, including phone verification. To bypass some of these obstacles, criminals will create fake websites and ask applicants for a copy of their drivers license, or send personalized emails to your inbox posing as a fake employee of a company.

It’s easy for hackers to take a job advertisement template and tailor it to suit different industries or positions. Once a victim applies, a criminal can make it seem like the person looks promising for the job, pending a background check. From there, requests for IDs and documents seem par for the course.

According to the Better Business Bureau, Indeed, Facebook and LinkedIn are among the top websites that get reported when users see fraudulent job advertisements.

Even when these fake ads are removed, oftentimes more follow in their place. There’s also been an increase in websites posing as state unemployment sites, making the issue more complicated. It’s important to always check the sources, domains, and addresses of any email you receive or site you’re using. Make sure to double check where you’re inputting sensitive data to, lest you fall victim to one of these scams.