Money·Oct 11, 2026
AI Job Scammer Impersonated Recruiter's LinkedIn Photo to Target Data Analyst
The fake listing matched his experience exactly and offered double the typical salary before asking him to meet a 'career consultant.'
Data analytics professional Daniel Harnack said he nearly fell for an AI-generated job scam after a fraudster stole a real recruiter's LinkedIn photo and profile, created a matching fake email address, and sent him a job listing tailored precisely to his work history, according to Business Insider. The posting offered roughly double the typical salary for that kind of role.
The scam began to unravel when, instead of submitting his résumé directly to a hiring manager, the "recruiter" asked Harnack to first meet with a "career consultant" to revise it — a step he recognized as a setup for a payment request. Harnack said the usual warning signs of a scam, like vague job descriptions, were missing because AI let the scammer personalize the pitch to his actual background.
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What to do in the first hour
- Bank transfer or Zelle
- Call your bank or credit union right away, say it was a scam, and ask them to reverse the payment.
- Wire transfer (Western Union, MoneyGram, Ria)
- Call the company immediately, report the transfer as fraud and ask for a reversal. If the money hasn't been picked up yet, it may still be stopped.
- Gift cards
- Contact the company that issued the card, tell them it was used in a scam and ask for a refund. Keep the card and the receipt.
- Cryptocurrency
- Contact the exchange or crypto ATM company you used and ask if it can be reversed. Crypto payments usually can't be, so report it quickly.
- Cash handed to a courier or mailed
- Call your local police. If you mailed it, contact the shipping company right away to try to stop the package.
Then report it to the FBI at ic3.gov and the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. For free one-on-one help, AARP’s Fraud Watch Network Helpline is 877-908-3360 (weekdays, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET, open to non-members).
Make your voice harder to clone
4 settings to change today
- Switch to the default voicemail greeting. A recorded greeting in your own voice is free audio for anyone who calls your number.
- Make family videos private. Clones are built from clips posted publicly. Limit who can see videos where you or your kids talk.
- Skip voice ID at your bank. If your bank lets you log in with your voice, ask for a PIN or app-based check instead.
- Don't chat with unknown callers. If a stranger keeps you talking with no clear reason, hang up.
More ways to protect yourself.
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