CAREER GUIDANCE
Table 2 : Scam tactics of fake career services professionals
1
Engineering a professional image
2
Forging connections to establish social proof
3
Touting fake endorsements
4
Controlling interactions with outreach techniques
5
Plagiarizing content and work samples
METHOD
Falsified certificates and credentials
Freelance-dominant work history
Deceptive use of icons and graphics on profiles
Collecting “ mutual connections ”
Infiltrating victims ’ networks
Fabricating reviews and testimonials
Enticing real people to leave recommendations
Direct messaging and attractive offers
Establishing rapport through personalization
Using stolen materials and information
Repurposing other people ’ s achievements
EXAMPLE
Fabricating or stealing certificates from others on LinkedIn and doctoring them . Impersonators may add “ acronyms ” to their name , display credentials on their profile banner or attach forged documents to present legitimacy .
Listing work experience with platforms like Fiverr or Upwork or smaller , unknown businesses that make it difficult to verify past work . Alternatively , impersonators may falsely claim an affiliation with a legitimate company .
Using emojis or other symbols to mimic LinkedIn ’ s verification check , LinkedIn ’ s “ Top Voice ” status , or similar social signals , such as a five-star rating .
Sending mass connection requests to career service professionals , focusing on micro-influencers and others who are likely to accept their invitation . Or , they may target smaller accounts , and then “ piggyback ” off their network .
Reaching out to others in the target ’ s circle ( once they are “ connected ”) aiming to expand their pool of potential victims by using their target ’ s connections as references and a façade of mutual connections .
Recycling feedback left for other people and using for themselves or using apps and AI tools to generate fake screenshots of positive reviews , making it appear as though they delivered quality services to previous clients .
Approaching real people for recommendations or similar endorsements in exchange for a free service or other item of perceived value . In addition , imposters may use fellow scammers to accumulate positive feedback .
Soliciting job seekers directly under the guise of offering a “ limited-time ” service or discounted package to create a false sense of urgency and divert attention from proper due diligence .
Personalizing initial messages to appear helpful and friendly , such as by mentioning shared connections , giving praise or offering tailored advice .
Taking work samples from reputable professionals and then showcasing as their own on platforms where they do not have a presence .
Lifting samples of success stories , key accomplishments or bios from other professionals , and then presenting as evidence of their own work on LinkedIn .
Source and visualization by : Natfluence , Jon Estreich , CAMS-Audit , CFE 4
76 acamstoday . org