LinkedIn Scammers: The Ugly Truth

Let's talk about an ugly truth.

LinkedIn has become a breeding ground for scammers—and it's getting worse fast.

The job market is rough right now. A lot of good people are just trying to stay afloat, doing whatever they can to land something stable. LinkedIn used to be the place to go for that—real people, real jobs, and real opportunities.

But lately, it's being overtaken by deception. And when bad actors take advantage of people who are already vulnerable, I consider that pure evil.

So, let's talk about ways to protect yourself, at my expense.

I thought I was doing everything right. I've learned to ignore those generic, copy-paste "job offers" from fake recruiters. You know the type. But then I got a message from someone representing a legitimate company: real history, professional website, valid contact info, polished communication, even solid LinkedIn credentials. Everything checked out… almost.

They claimed the company was expanding into Web3 and launching a crypto staking platform. I mean anything's possible, right? 🧐

Red flag #1.

Then came the "skills test" —the always sketchy link to run code and "give feedback".

Red flag #2.

Things are no longer looking good, but of course I want to believe this perfect position from a completely legitimate company magically fell from the sky and conveniently dropped right into my DMs. 🤔 So for that .01% chance, I decided to call the legitimate number to this legitimate company to speak personally to my new future boss 😉.

You know how the story ends.

(Obviously, I am the new assistant to the CEO of a major financial firm 🤭)

🛡️ How to Protect Yourself on LinkedIn (and Beyond):

• •Trust no one blindly. Even verified or well-established accounts can be compromised with someone shady running them!
• •Never use your real wallet for testing or "demos." Use a test wallet with zero funds.
• •Create a separate email for professional networking, not linked to your personal accounts.
• •Use email alias/masking tools like SimpleLogin, AnonAddy, DuckDuckGo, Firefox Relay, or Hide My Email (Apple).
• •Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) for all sensitive accounts.
• •Use a VPN and antivirus software to protect your data and location.

Please drop a comment below with anything else I should add. 👇

And be careful out there! Karma will have its way eventually.

#LinkedIn #ScamAwareness #JobSearch #Web3 #Cybersecurity #OnlineSafety #CareerAdvice