Job scams on the rise - expert tips while you hunt

A warning if you're looking for a new job.

Employment scams have surged by 118% in recent years, fueled by advancements in artificial intelligence.

"Scams have grown exponentially over the last two years, and we've seen it come on to LinkedIn," said Francisco Tobon with LinkedIn.

To address it, LinkedIn has partnered with the National Cybersecurity Alliance and launched some new programs to better protect job seekers.

Experts said fake job postings range from bogus employers asking for your personal information or payment to applying for or receiving equipment or education in advance.

"Sent her a check, they said it 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," said Lisa Plaggemier with the National Cybersecurity Alliance.

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 wired the money to the vendor for the laptop," she said.

To protect people looking for employment, LinkedIn is launching new features, including the ability to filter jobs to show only those with verifications, 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," added Tobon.

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.

Tobon also said to beware of people looking to move the conversation off a platform.

Both experts agree that the following are also red flags: pressure to decide quickly, vague job descriptions and the reluctance to meet in person.

"Because we see bad actors now using Zoom," said Plaggemier. "I can create a fictitious recruiter just using an image and some voice clips off the internet, use that, train AI to use that to have an interview with a candidate."

Verification is independently assessed and granted by LinkedIn.

It can't be bought or paid for, so if someone offers to get you verified for a fee, also beware that is a scam, too.

Also, both experts advise building layers of protection around your identity, like creating an email address solely for job hunting.