Australian jobseekers are being warned to stay alert as recruitment scammers step up their activity on LinkedIn, targeting people the moment they signal they are looking for work. The warnings, reported by the ABC on 6 October, come as the national unemployment rate sits at 4.6 per cent, leaving more people searching for roles and more potential victims for fraudsters.
According to the consumer watchdog, scammers commonly pose as representatives of large companies or recruitment firms and make contact either directly through LinkedIn or by email, offering a job opportunity tailored to details taken from the target’s own profile. An ACCC spokesperson described the approach as a scam designed to exploit jobseekers.
Open To Work Banners Draw Unwanted Attention
Jobseekers who switch on LinkedIn’s #OpenToWork banner attract interest from genuine recruiters, but also from criminals. Some scammers clone the profiles of real recruitment consultants or employees at well-known businesses before approaching candidates, while others try to charge applicants for résumé services, courses or training as part of a supposed hiring process.
Figures reported by Proactive Investors show the ACCC received 138 scam reports connected with LinkedIn across July and August, with reported losses of more than A$254,000. Because many scams go unreported, the true cost is likely to be higher.
Many Australians Say They Have Spotted Fake Ads
LinkedIn’s own research suggests the problem is widespread. Its Job Search Safety Pulse report found 61 per cent of Australians have come across a job advertisement they suspected was fraudulent, and 27 per cent said they had come close to falling for a recruitment scam. Earlier LinkedIn research found that fear of scams is making some people hesitant to apply for roles at all.
The platform says it uses detection tools to stop fake accounts, scam messages and fraudulent postings before members see them, and has introduced ID verification for high-risk job posters along with reduced visibility for content more likely to be a scam. LinkedIn has also noted that scammers often try to move conversations onto other channels early on.
How Jobseekers Can Protect Themselves
Red flags include recruiters who ask for money, hiring processes that move unusually fast, requests to continue the conversation on another app, and profiles with few connections or no link to an official company page. Jobseekers are advised to check that a recruiter’s email domain matches the company they claim to represent, to contact the employer through its official website, and to report suspicious messages to LinkedIn and to Scamwatch.
For businesses and recruitment agencies, the trend is also a reputational risk, with scammers regularly borrowing real company names and staff identities to make their offers look credible.
