The New Phishing: Fake Job Ads

October 26, 2021 – The FBI and the Federal Trade Commission have issued alerts warning that cyber criminals and fraudsters are posting fake job ads to collect personal information, which can be used for identity theft and all manner of downstream loss, inconvenience, and trauma.  Just as “Phishing Emails” try to direct readers to bogus ecom websites or to download malware that can lock up a company’s entire network, these new breed of fraudsters exploit the desperation of hungry job seekers, compelling them to submit personally identifiable information (PII) such as social security numbers during the fake job application or acceptance process.   

Skilled criminals can very closely spoof a company’s URL and website, replicating a company’s design, font, and layout so as to not raise alarms when the potential victims are directed there for job application information.  Applicants are contacted by email to conduct an interview using a teleconference application and talk to fraudsters posing as recruiters and department managers.  The job applicants are “hired” by the fake company, and fill out the normal HR and tax forms that include social security numbers, addresses, etc that are then used to open fake accounts under the victim’s name.  According to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center, 16,012 people reported being victims of employment scams in 2020, with losses totaling more than $59 million.