Four Proven Techniques to Identify Bogus Job Postings on LinkedIn

The COVID-19 pandemic saw many individuals losing their jobs as companies decided to cut down costs by restructuring themselves and terminating several roles. Many of those affected by the hit are still looking for jobs, and in addition, others are employed but looking for a better opportunity as the work dynamics are changing. Since the job market is experiencing increased demand, it has attracted scammers who are laying traps to extract money from innocent job seekers.

LinkedIn, one of the most reputed professional networking platforms and job boards in the world has become a hub for scammers. The platform attracts 61 million job seekers looking for jobs monthly, making it a great place for fraudsters. LinkedIn has tried to hunt down these scammers and as an action has already blocked close to 16.4 million accounts that were suspected to be handled by scammers. But since it’s a social platform, and scammers can create new accounts to dupe the job seekers, it becomes the responsibility of the job seekers to be vigilant and identify fake job postings. Trevor Cooke, renowned author on privacy and security matters said, "By staying informed and taking proactive measures, job seekers can navigate the job market safely and avoid falling victim to these insidious scams."

How to spot fake LinkedIn job posting

A fake job posting can cost the victim on average $8,700. These are the four common ways a job seeker can identify whether a job post is genuine.

1. Job posting has unrealistic points
Scammers generally mention unexpectedly high salaries and benefits even for an entry-level role to attract potential victims. Be cautious when you notice a job posting with salaries higher than market standards. Cooke said, "Scammers often use generic language or promise unrealistic perks to lure in candidates. Be wary of job postings that guarantee high salaries or rapid career advancement with minimal qualifications."

2. Communication with HR is not up to mark
When you receive communication over email or LinkedIn from HR, the message has grammar or spelling mistakes. Or the sentence formation doesn’t make sense. This is a sign that you might be interacting with a scammer pretending to be HR. Cooke said, "If you receive poorly written emails full of grammatical errors or vague responses to your inquiries, it could be a red flag. Authentic employers will communicate clearly and professionally, providing detailed information about the job role and company."

3. Ask for bank and personal details before the interview
The HR may be more aligned towards getting your sensitive information such as bank details before any interviews. But in a genuine job, the bank details are asked after the candidate has completed all the interview rounds and accepted the job offer. Cooke said, "Beware of job offers that request sensitive personal information upfront, such as your Social Security number, bank account details, or copies of your identification documents."

4. The company profile looks dubious
Scammers create fake company accounts and close them once they net a few victims. So, if you come across a company with no substantial posts and a handful of followers on LinkedIn it could be a red flag. Also, check the profiles of the employees added to the company to double-check if it is genuine. Cooke said, "Check for inconsistencies in the company's profile, such as missing contact information, sparse employee profiles, or a lack of online presence."