LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional network with over 810 million members worldwide. With so many users, LinkedIn has become a popular platform for companies and recruiters to post job openings and connect with potential candidates.
While the vast majority of jobs posted on LinkedIn are legitimate, occasionally false or fraudulent job postings may appear. Reporting these fake job postings helps keep the LinkedIn platform trustworthy and protect users from potential scams or misleading opportunities.
What is a false job posting?
A false job posting refers to a job opening listed on LinkedIn that is misleading, fraudulent, or potentially part of a scam. Here are some common characteristics of false job posts:
- The job description is vague, generic, or full of typos/grammatical errors.
- The hiring company cannot be easily verified or seems fake.
- The job promises unusually high salaries or benefits for little experience.
- Sketchy application instructions, like requesting personal information upfront.
- The post seems focused on collecting resumes or personal data.
These types of posts often come from scammers impersonating real companies or fake accounts trying to drive traffic to shady external sites. Applying to false job posts could result in identity theft, installation of malware, or monetary losses. If something seems fishy, it’s best to report it.
How to recognize a potentially false job posting
Here are some tips for recognizing red flags that may indicate a LinkedIn job post is fraudulent:
The company profile looks suspicious
– Basic company page with no history or employee profiles
– Profile using stock images or photos stolen from other sites
– Company name doesn’t show up in online searches
Job details are sketchy
– Vague, generic job description
– Roles and responsibilities unclear
– Minimal qualifications for a high-level role
Offer seems too good to be true
– Salary/benefits significantly above market rate
– Remote work with few requirements
– Quick promotion promises
Application process raises red flags
– Requests for personal details upfront
– Interviews via chat/text instead of phone/video
– Poor grammar, spelling, wording
If you notice any suspicious details or get a bad feeling about a post, it’s safest to report it to LinkedIn before engaging further.
How to report a false job on LinkedIn
If you come across a job posting that appears dubious, misleading, or potentially fraudulent, you can easily report it to LinkedIn with these steps:
- While viewing the job post, click the three dots icon in the top right corner.
- Select “Report this job” from the dropdown menu.
- Choose the option that best describes your reason for reporting:
- – Fake company
- – Job doesn’t match description
- – Potential scam
- – Other
- Add any details about why you’re reporting the post in the text box.
- Click submit.
Once a job is reported, LinkedIn will investigate to verify if the posting violates their terms or appears fraudulent. If found to be false, LinkedIn will promptly remove the job post to protect users.
What happens after reporting a false job
After submitting a report, here’s what happens behind the scenes:
- LinkedIn’s Trust & Safety team reviews the reported job posting.
- They investigate the company, look for suspicious details, and may try to contact the poster.
- If the job appears legitimate, they may leave it posted.
- If evidence of fraud is found, they will remove the job post immediately.
- They also analyze jobs from the same account for other policy violations.
- You will receive an email notification after the job is reviewed.
LinkedIn prioritizes investigating reported jobs quickly to limit the impact of false postings. However, with over 30 million jobs listed at any time, it may take a few business days to follow up on a report.
Tips for avoiding false job postings
Here are some best practices you can follow to avoid getting caught up in false job postings:
Scrutinize company pages
– Search online to verify companies outside your network
– Check for employee profiles and followers
– Watch for stolen logos or images
Research the job details
– Google key phrases from the job post
– Look for matches on other sites like Indeed
– Reverse image search any photos
Beware of “too good to be true” offers
– Highly question unusually high salaries or easy remote work
– Ask about questionable benefits or advancement promises
Get to know posters
– Connect and interact with recruiters before applying
– Look for mutual connections who can vouch for them
Trust your instincts – if a job post ever seems suspicious, report it to keep the LinkedIn community protected.
What are some common LinkedIn job scams?
Here are a few frequent job scams to watch out for on LinkedIn:
Fake employer accounts
Scammers create profiles impersonating real companies and post fake jobs to harvest resumes and personal information. Make sure employers are legitimate.
Advance fee fraud
Scammers promise jobs and then require an upfront payment for training, certifications, or materials. Never pay to get a job.
Recruitment fee scams
Posts offer enticing roles but then require you to pay “recruitment fees” before you can be hired. Real employers don’t charge fees.
Identity theft
Fake jobs ask for personal details like bank account numbers, SSNs, and IDs. Never give sensitive info before verifying the employer.
Money mule schemes
Scammers recruit for jobs processing financial transactions or transfers and use employees as money mules to launder money.
Gift card redemption
Some scams pressure applicants to purchase gift cards to run “background checks” on them but really they steal the gift card codes.
How to avoid job scams on LinkedIn
Here are some tips to avoid falling victim to job scams on LinkedIn:
- Research companies carefully before applying.
- Never pay upfront fees for training, certification, or materials.
- Watch for fake positions copied from other sites.
- Don’t give out sensitive personal information early in the process.
- Schedule interviews over phone or video chat to verify identities.
- Avoid offshore payment requests or processing sketchy transactions.
- Report suspicious postings so LinkedIn can remove them.
Stay vigilant and trust your instincts – if something seems fake, it probably is. Report any concerning activity to LinkedIn immediately.
Conclusion
LinkedIn job scams are an unfortunate reality, but you can avoid them by staying alert for red flags, scrutinizing postings thoroughly, and reporting anything suspicious. Only apply to jobs on reputable company pages after verifying their legitimacy. If an opportunity seems questionable, checking with other users in your network is wise.
With vigilance and common sense, LinkedIn can remain a trustworthy source for new career opportunities. Report any fake job postings you discover so LinkedIn can remove them and protect other users. By working together to flag suspicious activity, we can stop scammers in their tracks.