LinkedIn scams: how to spot a fake recruiter message or phishing email
Quick answer
Yes, scammers use LinkedIn. The common one is a fake recruiter who messages you, sets up a "virtual interview" and later asks for money or your Social Security or bank details. A real employer never charges you to get hired. Verify the company yourself and report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
- Comes by
- Social media, Email, Text
- Pretends to be
- Latest official alert
- (FTC)
- Last updated
How it works
LinkedIn is a real platform, and scammers use it because people expect to hear from recruiters. The FTC describes the typical fake-recruiter scam this way:
- A direct message arrives from a "recruiter" at a well-known company who says you have exactly the skills they want.
- You get an invitation to a virtual interview, often from a personal email address instead of a company one.
- After a quick "offer", the scammer asks for your Social Security number or bank details, or sends a fake invoice for equipment and promises to reimburse you. The reimbursement never comes.
The FTC says reports of job scams roughly tripled between 2020 and 2024, and that scammers now also move the conversation to text, WhatsApp or Telegram. What they're after is your money, your logins or the personal details they need to steal your identity.
A second version is phishing: an email that looks like it comes from LinkedIn and sends you to a fake login page.
Red flags
- A recruiter who contacts you first, with an offer that fits you a little too well
- Interview invitations or job emails sent from a personal address instead of a company one
- Requests for your Social Security number or bank details before you've had a real interview
- Any fee, equipment purchase or "deposit" you have to pay up front
- Pressure to move the chat to text, WhatsApp or Telegram
- Payment requests by cash, Zelle or PayPal
Example message
Hi [name], I'm a recruiter at [well-known company]. Your profile is a great fit for a remote role paying well above market. Please confirm your interest and we'll schedule a virtual interview. Reply to [email address] or message us at [phone number].
What to do
- 1
Don't reply or click
If you only received the message, don't answer it and don't open the link. Report the profile to LinkedIn and block it.
- 2
Check the job yourself
Find the company's careers page on its own website, or call it using a number you look up yourself, and ask whether the recruiter and the role exist.
- 3
If you shared your Social Security or bank details
Put a fraud alert or credit freeze on your credit reports and watch your accounts. Our guide on what to do after a data breach covers the steps.
- 4
If you paid or sent money
Contact your bank or card issuer right away and tell them it was fraud. Save the messages, receipts and payment details.
- 5
If you used the same password elsewhere
Change it, and turn on two-step verification for your email and LinkedIn account.
Report it
Check if your details are exposed with Serus
Scammers find your number and address on data brokers and people-search sites. Serus removes them.
Why you got it
Scammers don't pick targets at random. They buy or look up names, phone numbers, email addresses and home addresses from people-search sites and from breach dumps, then use them to make a message feel personal. A scammer who knows your job title, employer and city can write a recruiter pitch that looks real. Some of that is on your public profile, and the rest is easy to look up. Serus finds the data brokers and people-search sites that list you where you live and removes you from them, and it alerts you when your details show up in a breach, so fewer scammers can reach you.
Official alerts
Common LinkedIn scams
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LinkedIn fake profile scam Yes. Fake profiles and messages on LinkedIn ask for money or sensitive information, push you off the platform, or offer unrealistic jobs. LinkedIn says to look for the signals below, then report the profile from the More menu. - LinkedIn scams Scammers use LinkedIn messages and fake job posts to push task jobs, phishing links and requests for money or personal data. A real employer won't ask you to pay to get a job or to deposit money. Don't click, report it to LinkedIn and at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
Frequently asked
Are LinkedIn scams real?
Yes. The FTC has warned that scammers pose as recruiters for well-known companies on LinkedIn and other job platforms.
Would a real recruiter ask me to pay anything?
No. The FTC says honest employers never ask for upfront fees for a job or for equipment, and they don't ask for payment by cash, Zelle or PayPal.
The recruiter wrote from a Gmail address. Is that a sign?
It's a red flag. The FTC points out that real hiring emails come from the company's own account.
I gave them my Social Security number. What now?
Place a fraud alert or credit freeze with the credit bureaus, watch your accounts and report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
Sources
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