https://www.businessinsider.com/job-market-hell-heaven-linkedin-scammers-careers-2025-9
Two years after graduating at the top of her class, Amisha Datta, now 26, found herself the victim of a job scam that cost her $4,300. Datta’s experience, as well as that of 56-year-old Brenda Smith, who lost $15,000 in a similar scam, highlights the growing threat of fraudsters targeting job seekers on platforms like LinkedIn.
Datta, who had applied for a transcription job with a school district in Oklahoma, went through a seemingly legitimate hiring process, complete with a contract review by her mother and the use of an identity verification service. However, the scammers were able to leverage AI tools, social engineering tactics, and the reputation of LinkedIn to deceive even well-educated job seekers. Between 2020 and 2024, consumer reports of job and employment-agency scams tripled, with the amount of money lost by victims rising to $501 million.
The rise in job scams is fueled by the challenging job market, where openings are often overwhelmed by AI-generated applications, and qualified candidates are being automatically rejected. Scammers prey on the desperation of workers, and the problem is only expected to worsen as the economic landscape continues to stall. Datta and Smith, while initially embarrassed, now want to share their stories to help others avoid the same fate, underscoring the need for greater awareness and vigilance when applying for jobs online.