As more Americans work remotely and apply for jobs online, Norton experts say scammers are exploiting the virtual hiring process to steal personal and financial information.
According to data from Norton, a software company, one-third of Americans have encountered a job scam. These schemes range from fake recruiters and company websites to phishing text messages that appear to offer legitimate employment opportunities.
Iskander Sanchez-Rola, director of A.I. and innovation at Norton, said scammers are becoming increasingly sophisticated.
“We are talking about calendar invites that include links to places that look like the real company, but they are not the real company,” Sanchez-Rola said.
In some cases, the deception goes even further.
“Sometimes you even have interviews. You actually talk to people. And these people that you are talking to — they are not real people. They are AI-generated voices,” he said.
Sanchez-Rola said scammers often pressure applicants, claiming positions must be filled immediately.
“They also tell you like, ‘Oh, we need to fill the position right now,” said Sanchez-Rola. “And, then it’s the moment that they are telling you, ‘Eh, now I need your social security number to start the process.”
Sanchez Rola recommends verifying recruiters by visiting a company’s official website independently rather than clicking links in emails or messages.
If a job offer comes about too easily or too quickly, he said, that’s another significant red flag.
Sanchez-Rola also suggests downloading “Norton Genie,” a free scam-detection app that analyzes text messages, emails, social media posts and websites for potential fraud.
Cybercriminals frequently impersonate well-known companies to appear credible. According to Norton research, among the most commonly impersonated companies are Amazon, UPS, LinkedIn, Google and Walmart.
Read also: