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Navigating Job Scams for Young Professionals

Aug 4, 2024

Young Professionals Career Catalyst Podcast: Job Scams

Host: Shelley Mey with Dreamcatcher Career Coaching

Guest: Mark Anthony Dyson

  • Freelance writer for: Forbes, Entrepreneur, Business Insider (as guest contributor)
  • Host of Podcast: The Job Scam Report
  • Known as The Voice of Job Seekers

Background

  • College Major: Communications
  • Early Career: College radio, retail management, customer service, leadership
  • Career Path: Transitioned from resume writing to focusing on job scams

Job Scams Overview

  • Annual Losses: Job scams cost job seekers $2 billion annually (Better Business Bureau)
  • Most Affected: Younger people (Gen Z, Millennials), older people scammed for larger amounts

Reasons for Susceptibility

  • Desperation to launch careers
  • Entertaining more opportunities without verification
  • Social engineering tactics used by scammers

Job Scams Details

  • Common Tactics:

    • Social engineering: baiting with desired job offers
    • Stealing personal information
    • Creating fake job listings and websites
    • Using technology to mock companies (e.g., Job Fishing)
  • Consequences:

    • Personal information sold or reused
    • Scammers act as the victim, damage reputations
    • Financial losses and identity theft

Recognizing Job Scams

  • Red Flags:

    • Unsolicited job offers
    • Requests for personal information too early (e.g., Social Security number)
    • Misspelled company names and email addresses
    • Overly perfect and impersonal communication
    • Moving conversations to off-grid messaging apps (e.g., WhatsApp)
    • Fake video interviews through platforms like Zoom
  • Recent Example: Resume looters hack job portals, steal 30,000+ personal details

Prevention Tips

  • Verification: Research companies, check reviews, search for scams
  • Apply directly on company websites: Verify email addresses, contact companies directly
  • Use secure communication: E.g., Google Voice for phone numbers
  • Be intentional and strategic: Avoid mass applications, check company authenticity
  • Question everything: Verify job offers and connections

What to Do If Scammed

  • Report: Use ic3.gov, notify relevant entities (e.g., Social Security, banks)
  • Run Security Scans: Check for malware, spyware
  • Secure Personal Data: Use VPNs, avoid public WiFi for sensitive transactions
  • Notify Credit Bureaus: Freeze credit if necessary

AI's Role in Job Scams

  • AI used to craft convincing scam emails and communications
  • Human factor in recognizing non-personalized, overly formal communication

Contact and Further Information

  • Mark Anthony Dyson:
    • Substack: Mark Anthony Dyson
    • Offers newsletter with updates on job scams, deeper insights for subscribers

Closing Notes

  • Importance of awareness and information
  • Next Episode: Stay tuned on YouTube for more content