Job Scams Powered by AI Could Try to Rob You
The state of the economy in the last year left thousands of people jobless. It means many job seekers are trying to find their future employment. Unfortunately, this creates a perfect environment for scammers to thrive in, and they are searching for their next victims as we speak.
If you look at online job marketplaces such as LinkedIn or UpWork, you might notice a lot of similar job offers, which makes you wonder if these recruiters are using tools like ChatGPT to create a whole persona. Perhaps even a company and a job position are fictional too. Some scammers will contact you directly through messages and include links to unknown websites.
What makes this problem even scarier is that ChatGPT can help them make their profiles look professional and sleek. While OpenAI has strict guidelines to ensure the safety of all users, cybercriminals are not bothered by them much.
They could use this tool to create profiles on multiple social media platforms and come up with relevant content to make you believe they are a legit recruiter. Figuring out who is a scammer is extremely hard, but not impossible. Let’s explore some red flags that could help you determine if you are being scammed or not.
Make sure the recruiter is who they say they are
If you have been contacted by someone claiming to be a recruiter, you need to do a background check. For instance, if a potential recruiter uses email to communicate with you, look at their address. Is it a personal email account or a company email address? Are there any spelling mistakes in the address itself? All these signs can uncover a scam.
Scammers used to make spelling mistakes in their emails, but that’s not the case anymore, thanks to ChatGPT. They now use AI to write impeccable messages and job descriptions, so sometimes the only way to spot a scammer is an email address.
You can also check a recruiter who uses LinkedIn by searching for the company they claim to work at. Check their official website and see if they have any open positions at the moment. Go through the recruiter’s connections and scan the list of people. Is the majority of them a part of the same business? And don’t forget to check the company and the online reviews by former employees and clients.
Analyze the job offer
The first thing you should do is look at the way the job offer is written. Scammers rarely provide details about the responsibilities of their future employees. You will see general information about the position, and that is it. However, the pay will be tempting as scammers try their hardest to attract people and get them to share their personal information.
Secondly, scammers could ask you to purchase the equipment needed for the job. They might promise to give you a refund, which involves providing them with your financial information, such as the number of your bank account. Unfortunately, people did fall for this scam in the past, and criminals have used bank data to drain everything from an account.
Thirdly, a fake recruiter will try to get as much personal data from you as possible and pretend they need it to confirm your identity. Don’t give out your social security number to anyone online. It is used by scammers to gain access to your bank account by stealing your identity.
Finally, shortened URLs can be a clear warning. You never know if the link could lead you to a phishing website designed to collect your login information to be used somewhere else. But these fake recruiters are ready to do anything and try various tools to get their hands on someone’s data.
Protecting yourself from scammers
As mentioned above, scammers who post fake jobs frequently include links to potentially harmful websites or send dangerous attachments. You might not even realize you have downloaded one before it is too late. If you want to ensure you have a timely warning, consider using a tool like a VPN that comes with a variety of additions.
Besides protecting your privacy and the information you send or receive, VPNs also have a feature that can protect you from trackers and malware. These are often shared by cybercriminals as attached files in their emails and messages. Hackers might disguise the files as job information, an application, or a questionnaire. Again, you wouldn’t think twice about downloading these files while searching for a legit job.
It is quite similar to an antivirus app because this tool scans your downloads and blocks any malware before it can wreak havoc on your device. This VPN feature is helpful for unknown links as well. For instance, if you have been sent a shortened URL, there is no way to determine how safe the website is. However, a good premium VPN will warn you in time and block the address if it contains malware.
What to do if you have been scammed?
Remember not to panic. Stop communicating with the scammer right away, and don’t believe anything they say to you. The fake recruiters will do everything to make you stay because all they want is your money. But trust your gut. If something doesn’t feel right and you think a recruiter is lying to you, just don’t answer any more messages.
Of course, there will be a problem if you have already given them your financial information. You will need to make a couple of phone calls to your bank to block or close your existing accounts in case a scammer attempts to steal from you, which they probably will. Don’t forget to give your bank a complete rundown of the situation because they might have another solution for you.
Finally, talk to law enforcement and file a report. A cybercrime unit might be able to do something about the scammer and prevent any future victims, which is important. Again, provide as much information as possible.
