This past week, I had my first direct encounter with a scammer on LinkedIn. They tried to exploit my current job-seeking situation, posing as someone eager to “help.”
It all started shortly after a blog post posted on LinkedIn. A person named “Linda Jones” from a recruitment company reached out. She complimented my extensive work history and asked if I could answer a quick question. I replied, “Sure.”
The “quick question” turned into two: What has been the most challenging part of your job search? And what exactly are you looking for?
Curious, I checked Linda’s profile. She claimed to work for a reputable, international recruitment company. I didn’t reply immediately—I was crafting my response and reviewing her profile. Before I could finish, she messaged again: “Are you still there?”
After replying, Linda asked for my resume, saying she wanted to see how she could assist me. I sent it over, and after a brief pause, she claimed my resume had a “low score” on LinkedIn. She then asked if I’d like help improving it.
As I took my time reading her message, I received another impatient “Are you still there?” She concluded her message by asking if I’d previously worked on my resume with anyone. I told her I’d worked with a job coach.
Linda responded that she had someone who could help, listing several acronyms for tools or services—only one of which she explained (RDP, or Resume Digital Parser). The rest were left vague. At this point, I was still giving her the benefit of the doubt, though her repeated “Are you still there?” messages were getting on my nerves.
Then came the red flag. When I revisited her LinkedIn profile, I noticed she had only two connections despite supposedly working for this reputable recruitment company for six to eight years.
Soon after, Linda sent me an email link to connect, but the email wasn’t from the recruitment company. Instead, it was from an unrelated secure email service. When I questioned this, she brushed it off as “common practice” and asked if the service’s cost was too high—despite the fact that cost had never been mentioned before.
At that point, I told her I wasn’t interested. After that, the messages were deleted, and her profile disappeared from the recruitment company’s employee list.
I contacted the recruitment company to report someone impersonating their staff. They were going to look into it, but at least they’re now aware of the situation.
Looking back, I regret sending my resume. I also wish I had taken screenshots of the conversation for reference.
Key lessons from this encounter:
- Beware of unsolicited LinkedIn messages, especially ones that feel rushed or overly persistent.
- Look for inconsistencies in the person’s profile, like minimal connections or vague job details.
- Be cautious about sharing personal information until you’ve thoroughly vetted the individual or organization.
To all my fellow job seekers: stay vigilant. Scammers prey on those who are already vulnerable. Always take time to verify a person’s legitimacy before sharing anything.
