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ZDNET’s key takeaways

• Job and recruitment scams are on the rise, and new tactics can fool even distrustful job seekers.
• We’ve listed the biggest red flags to watch for in your job hunt, underscored by new LinkedIn research.
• 57% of professionals are more likely than a year ago to question whether a job is a scam.

It’s a rough job market out there, thanks to broad economic uncertainty — and scammers certainly aren’t helping. 

Job and recruitment scams are nothing new; however, they used to be fairly easy to spot. Sketchy or nonexistent companies, requests for money to join a “work program,” and demands for payment card details or pre-onboarding purchases — these were the only scams we needed to be aware of. 

Also: I’m a tech professional, and an AI job scam almost fooled me – here’s how I caught on

The game has changed. As highlighted by LinkedIn’s first Job Search Safety Pulse report, published on Wednesday, safety is a real concern for job seekers in 2026 — and spotting scams has become a routine part of the job hunt. 

Job hunting? The red flags to watch for

According to LinkedIn’s research, which included a survey of over 8,500 professionals working full- or part-time, detecting job-related scams has become routine. In total, 72% of those surveyed said they now have to consider whether a job is genuine before applying, and 57% of professionals are more likely to question whether a job is a scam than they were last year. 

Most of us have come across suspicious job listings, but how do you tell the difference between real and scam posts? These are the red flags that may indicate a job is fake:

• Too good to be true: It’s advice we’ve heard since we were children, and it holds true for job scams. One of the major red flags is a lucrative job offer that neither seems especially challenging nor requires particularly high-level skills or certifications. Is it likely that a genuine offer pays over $100,000 for several hours per day in an entry-level role? Probably not. 
• Staying vague: It’s frustrating when job listings don’t include a salary, but this lack of transparency we’ve all come to accept. However, if a posting doesn’t include a thorough job description, working conditions, responsibilities, or candidate requirements, it might be fake. 
• Discrepancies between a job listing or emailed brief and career portals: As I’ve previously discussed, if you have been targeted, your CV or public work experience on LinkedIn can be scraped to modify existing job roles to fit your skills and history. If it appears that a high-level position has been created just for you, be wary. Check the company’s career postings against any listings you’ve been given, and ensure they match. 
• Suspicious recruiter profiles: More than one-third (36%) of recruiters say they’ve been victims of impersonation, according to the survey, and 67% say job scams are making it harder to build trust with candidates. If a recruiter profile has no contact information, a generic photo or no photo at all, and no activity, someone could be impersonating the real recruiter (if they exist). Run a check and verify who you are talking to.
• Requests for payment: Once a scammer has established a level of trust with a candidate and has given them a job “offer,” they may then spring the trap: a required payment. This could take the form of purchasing equipment, administrative and registration fees, or similar requests. 
• Moving off-platform: LinkedIn data shows that 90% of reported scam messages involve moving to private messaging apps, such as WhatsApp. One of the most common tactics employed by scam artists is to move you off-platform, where your conversation can’t be monitored or reported. This is unprofessional and highly unusual behavior for any legitimate recruiter. 
• Unprofessional behavior or practices: If a recruiter is oddly familiar with you or acting in an unprofessional manner, this is another warning sign.
• Pressure: There are very few cases when an “urgent” job posting is truly treated as urgent. You’ll still be waiting weeks or even months to finish the process. If you’re being pushed to quickly provide a CV, attend a virtual interview, or hand over information, this could indicate the job is a scam. 
• Odd email addresses:  One thing I’ve noticed, particularly with targeted recruitment scams, is the use of unprofessional email addresses. For example, you might come across “[name].recruiter@outlook.com” and similar aliases. Professional recruiters will usually use a professional work email address, and so the use of Gmail or Outlook could signal that you are talking to an impersonator.

Also: I tested NordVPN’s free scam checker with real phishing emails – here’s how it fared

How to stay safe

LinkedIn’s survey also outlined the most common consequences of job scams that professionals experience today. In total, 31% of respondents reported wasted time during the job search, while 27% noted additional stress and worry. Furthermore, 25% have experienced a blow to their confidence and a lack of trust when applying for new roles. 

The real need for new opportunities, especially among younger people just entering the workforce, is worsening the situation. According to LinkedIn, nearly a third of Gen Z job hunters (32%) have ignored warning signs “because they feel opportunities are so scarce,” compared with 21% of Gen X job hunters. 

Still, it’s important to avoid scams of this nature, as there is no outcome other than the loss of your data, time, and money. Below are our top tips for navigating this minefield as safely as possible. 

• Signs of life: Many job seekers are now looking for “proof of life” before applying for jobs, according to the report. You might consider doing the same — check the company’s reputation, signs of activity across social media and networking platforms, and verify whether the role exists on the company’s own job board.
• Verify sources: Recruiters are being impersonated in today’s job scams, and so you may not be talking to who you think you are. It’s important to verify their identity. In my own clash with a fake recruiter, I’ve listed the warning signs to watch for — including unprofessional email addresses, AI-generated emails, urgency to complete unreasonable tasks, and referrals to CV or proposal-writing assistants. 
• Be wary of unsolicited messages: If you aren’t on the hunt and you don’t know a recruiter or connection personally, you may have been targeted. Be very careful if you choose to engage with them. 
• Stay on platform: A recruiter or “company owner” may try to convince you that discussing the role over WhatsApp is more convenient, but don’t be fooled. Stay on the platform. 
• Do not reveal sensitive information: You need to think about what a job scammer wants from you: it’s data, money, or both. There’s no need for a recruiter to know your Social Security number at the start of a discussion, for example — keep your private details private unless you are absolutely certain that the role is legitimate and that what is being requested is for legal purposes.
• Pay them nothing: No job or role should ever expect you to pay out before you have a contract in hand, and unless it is a niche case — such as for a uniform at a physical location — you should refuse. If a company says they will hire you, but you must first pay out for equipment, refuse. It’s more than likely a scam.
• Trust your instincts: If something doesn’t feel right, no matter how amazing the job listing is, it probably isn’t. Your instincts are the best defense you have against being scammed. 

Also: The shadowy SIM farms behind those incessant scam texts – and how to stay safe

What is LinkedIn doing to clamp down on scams?

LinkedIn faces a constant influx of scam artists trying to list fake roles. 

In response, the site is rolling out new verification options to authenticate companies, recruiters, and executives, and has implemented automated defenses to detect and remove spam and fake content before it appears in feeds. 

Also: Beware the ‘Hi, how are you?’ text. It’s a scam – here’s how it works

Reporting tools are also available to job seekers who suspect a listing is fake, and job posters considered “high risk” are now required to verify themselves. If you suspect a job listing isn’t real, click into the job description and select the ‘…’ tab. You will then see an option to report the listing to LinkedIn. 

Still, it’s up to us to stay aware of how common these scams are and to try to avoid them.