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Job Hunters Beware of LinkedIn Scammers

1/26/2020

 
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By District Attorney Summer Stephan
As your District Attorney, I’m committed to increasing communication and accessibility between the DA’s Office and you, the community. One way I have been doing that is through this monthly column, where I provide consumer tips on public safety matters. 

​Maybe one of your New Year’s resolutions is to find a new job. With the days of seeking employment through classified ads in the rear-view mirror, most of us opt for searching for work online. And of course, there are a plethora of companies that vow to make this journey less stressful by directly connecting employers to potential employees.
LinkedIn is a company that seeks to make job hunting easier by serving a social network tailored to professionals. It allows working professionals to stay connected with other professionals in their field and to message and send relevant opportunities to one another. As with anything where technology is involved, scammers have found a way to use this social media site for far more nefarious purposes than originally intended.

This scam involves shady characters assuming the identity of a prospective employer and connecting with interested candidates for a job opening. As these bogus employers message others on LinkedIn, those who respond are soon persuaded to buy supplies and equipment that they falsely believe is vital to their new job. Some scammers even go as far as interviewing job candidates in an attempt to further legitimize their swindle. In some cases, job candidates are coerced into revealing sensitive personal information such as their social security number, which is then used for identity fraud.

Here are some ways you can prevent falling prey on job searching sites:
  • Always research any company contacting you.
  • Seek other forms of verification from the recruiter including their company email, employee information on the company website, and a company phone number.
  • The email used by the company recruiter should always be a company-affiliated email, not a public email like Gmail, Yahoo, or Hotmail.
  • Examine the profile of the recruiter contacting you. Scammers sometimes impersonate real employees at real companies.
  • Authentic LinkedIn emails have a security footer at the bottom of every email that says who the email was intended for along with the recipient’s current job and company. Although this footer is not a guarantee the email is legitimate, if it is not present, do not click any links.
  • A fake profile will often have a very small amount of connections, have large amounts of information missing on their profile, and be connected to a public email.
  • If a recruiter offers you a job without interviewing you, has a lot of spelling and grammar mistakes in their messages, and offers you a salary significantly above the market rate, this is a red flag that you could be getting scammed.
  • Lastly, if a recruiter asks you buy equipment or invest any amount of money before hiring you, they are running a scam.

The most important rule to follow is to never give any money to anyone you’ve connected with on social media. A legitimate business would never force an employee to commit funds before hiring them.

Now, what happens if you followed all this advice but still managed to find yourself in a LinkedIn scam?
  • Send the suspicious email or message to phishing@linkedin.com.
  • Delete the email/message from your account.
  • If you clicked on any of the links in the email, run your antivirus/spyware software to find and remove any type of malicious software.
  • If you gave out any form of personal information such as a password or bank account number to a scammer, make sure to reset your password and /or contact your bank.
  • File a complaint with the local Better Business Bureau and report the fraudulent company.
District Attorney Summer Stephan has dedicated more than 29 years to serving justice and victims of crime as prosecutor. She is a national leader in fighting sex crimes and human trafficking and in creating smart and fair criminal justice solutions and restorative justice practices that treat the underlying causes of addiction and mental illness and that keep young people from being incarcerated.

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Copyright © 2022 Oceanside Chamber of Commerce
928 N. Coast Highway | Oceanside, CA 92054
Tel 760-722-1534 
info@oceansidechamber.com
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Picture
  • Oceanside
    • About Oceanside >
      • History of Oceanside
      • Demographics
      • Arts and Culture
      • Education
      • Employment
      • Health Care
      • Religious Organizations
      • Local Government and Services
      • Retiring in Oceanside
      • Oceanside Maps
    • Visitor Information >
      • Beaches
      • Accommodations
      • Groups and Meeting
    • Things to Do >
      • Oceanside Events >
        • Downtown History Walks
        • Farmers Market
        • Sunset Market
      • Shopping >
        • Coupons
      • Dining
      • Surfing
      • Regional Attractions
    • Volunteer Opportunities
  • Business Directory
    • All Categories
    • Coupons
    • New Members
  • Media
    • Advancing Oceanside Podcast
    • Blog
    • Member News
    • E-Newsletter
    • Publications >
      • Advertising Your Business
      • Best of Oceanside Magazine
      • Annual Community Guide
      • Military Publications
  • Chamber
    • Membership >
      • Member Portal
      • Membership Packages
      • Application
      • Testimonials
    • Advocacy >
      • Chamber Political Action Committee
      • Public Policy Guidelines
      • The Advancing Oceanside Report
    • Our Work >
      • 2021 Annual Report
      • 2023 Strategic Priorities
      • Committees - Task Forces - Forums
      • Oceanside Young Professionals
    • Economic Recovery >
      • 2021 Small Business Grant Program
      • 2020 Shop Local Oceanside
      • 2020 North County Cares Program
    • Workforce Development >
      • SOCAL Workforce
    • Kindness
    • Oceanside Leadership Academy
    • Our Team >
      • Board of Directors
      • Chamber Staff
    • Privacy Policy
  • Events
    • Signature Chamber Events >
      • Armed Forces Day Operation Appreciation
      • Heroes of Oceanside and Camp Pendleton
      • Meet the City of Oceanside
      • North County Health Fair
      • Oceanside Senior Expo
      • Rising Star Student Program
    • Monthly Chamber Events
    • Oceanside Community Events
  • Resources
    • Community Resources
    • Local Business Resources
    • Military Resources