Recruitment scams surge during peak job-hunting season

Cybersecurity experts at NordVPN warn that the September job-hunting season coincides with a peak period for recruitment scams. As students and workers re-enter the job market, scammers are increasingly targeting vulnerable individuals by impersonating legitimate companies and recruiters.

According to the Federal Trade Commission, reports of job and employment agency scams nearly tripled between 2020 and 2024. Financial losses have escalated significantly, with consumers reporting $501 million lost to these scams in 2024, compared to $90 million in 2020.

Scammers often use unsolicited messages or fake job listings on social media and legitimate employment sites. Some campaigns have been known to impersonate major brands such as Meta, Disney, Coca-Cola, and Spotify to direct victims to phishing portals designed to steal sensitive personal and banking information.