Scammers used LinkedIn to target a new WRAL employee.
Kaitlyn Dang did the same thing many professionals do -- she posted about her new job at WRAL on LinkedIn.
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“I was just really excited. I like to let people know that I'm in the middle of career changes,” Dang said.
After connecting with new co-workers on LinkedIn, she got a text that appeared to be one of her new connections, a manager at the station.
“I was just laying on my couch, and I got this text that said, ‘Are you available?’” Dang explained.
Dang didn't have the number that texted her saved. So, she took a moment, then reached out to the manager through a trusted channel at work and confirmed her suspicions – the text was a scam.
Scott Stewart, VP of Intelligence at Torchstone Global, says that while this scam is common, it’s used at all levels.
“We also see intelligence services using social media, specifically LinkedIn, but other social media as well to target people for recruitment,” Stewart said.
5 On Your Side has also come across several job scams targeting people through text messages.
The texts claim to be from legitimate companies and offer remote positions requiring little work and good pay.
Some of these scams are after money or information, but Stewart warns that others want to use you without you even knowing it.
“These scammers, a lot of times, what they will do is these, you know, work at home jobs can actually be you laundering money that's coming out of these accounts and out of these, you know, the gift cards and such,” Stewart said. “So, they're looking to launder and bounce stuff so it can't be traced to them, and so they'll pay people to do that.”
And as artificial intelligence and deep fake audio and video improves, these scams are going to get harder to pick out.
“The keys to really combating it, number one is awareness, understanding that the threats out there and then, and that you need to act to protect yourself. Because, frankly, the companies won't,” Stewart warned.
So of course, be mindful of what you're posting, don't give away too much personal information.
Check the platforms privacy settings to control who sees your posts and information.
And consider using a Personally Identifiable Information Removal tool.
“Google has some cool features that allow you to search and knock down information that's showing up in Google searches so that, so that your PII doesn't show up,” Stewart said.
Finally, if you're suspicious of someone calling, texting or emailing you, do what Dang did and verify who they are through a trusted source.