Job scams on the rise - expert tips while you hunt

A warning this afternoon for anyone looking for a new job right now. Employment scams have surged 118% in recent years fueled by advancements in artificial intelligence. But there are also new ways to protect yourself and our Nidia Han joins us with those details. Hi Nidia. Yeah, hi guys. This is a growing threat and to address it, LinkedIn has partnered with the National Cyber Security Alliance and launched some new programs to better protect job seekers. Whether you're a newly minted graduate or just looking for summer work, we have a warning. Scams have grown exponentially over the last two years since the pandemic. And we've seen it come on to LinkedIn. From fake job postings to bogus employers asking for your personal information or payment, sometimes to apply or to get equipment or education in advance. Sent her a check. They said that was going to be for her to go buy a laptop. And then they wanted her to wire money to the vendor for the laptop. This is a real life example of a criminal playing a long game. The job seeker had been through numerous interviews before she got the check. Not knowing that a bank can reverse that if that check doesn't clear, she went ahead and and wired the money to the vendor for the for the laptop. To protect people, LinkedIn is launching new features, including the ability to filter jobs to show only those that are verified, marked by a badge with a check mark. So, this gives job seekers an additional layer, an additional sense of trust, so that they can move forward with confidence. If a post isn't verified, do an online search for the company that posted the job listing and reach out directly to confirm the opening. This is especially critical before entering any personal sensitive information on a supposed HR portal or website. Also, be aware of people that are looking to move the conversation off a platform and pressure to decide quickly vague job descriptions and the reluctance to meet in person because we see bad actors now using Zoom. I can create a fictitious recruiter just using an image and some voice clips off the internet and use that train AI to have an interview with a candidate. Now, verification is independently assessed and granted by LinkedIn, it cannot be bought or paid for. So, if someone offers to get you verified for a fee, beware, that is a scam, too. Also, build layers of protection around your identity, like creating an email address solely for job hunting. As always, we put more tips on 6abc.com. Brian, I'm so grateful we've got you in our corner to help us navigate all of this. It's a wild world.