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