Over the past month, I have received several messages from professionals who were contacted by someone impersonating me — Marie Mikelson — using my name paired with a fake Gmail address to push a fake job opportunity and try to steal their information.
SCAM ALERT
The biggest red flag: I never email candidates from Gmail account. If a message claiming to be from me comes from a personal Gmail (or any free email address), it is not me.
Facts to know:
Fact #1 – How I actually reach out. When contacting candidates about a job opportunity, I only reach out through LinkedIn InMail or my verified company email address.
Fact #2 – Legitimate recruiters do not ask for sensitive information. Legitimate recruiters do not ask for sensitive personal or financial information over email or InMail. Do not give anyone your personal financial information when interviewing for a job.
Fact# 3: What ProFound Staffing actually does. ProFound Staffing only works on legitimate job opportunities. We specialize in direct hire recruiting for senior-level information technology, software development, technical leadership, engineering, professional services and corporate operations roles in the United States.
Other Red flags to watch for when you receive a fake job opportunity
Beyond the fake email address, scammers impersonating recruiters tend to share a few patterns:
- Pressure to respond immediately or “act fast” before the role is gone
- A salary or offer that seems unusually generous for a vague or loosely described role
- Executive positions overseas – again we only work on positions in the USA.
- Requests for personal details (SSN, bank info, ID scans) before you have even had a real interview
How to report fraudulent email?
Do not click, do not reply, do not share any information.
Report it to LinkedIn: LinkedIn
Report it to Google: Google
Thank you to everyone who has alerted me that you received one of these fraudulent messages – that is exactly how we protect each other from these scammers.
Stay sharp out there! Feel free to contact me anytime you want to verify whether an opportunity claiming to be from me is real.
Marie Mikelson | President | Recruiting Consultant | Technical Recruiter
