September 25, 2026, 2:15 pm | Read time: 2 minutes
Fake job listings have apparently become commonplace on LinkedIn. A U.S. man claims to have uncovered tens of thousands of suspicious job offers and profiles.
Since the end of 2023, U.S. citizen Jay Jones has been investigating suspicious job listings on LinkedIn. According to his own statements, he has reported around 60,000 fake job offers and about 7,000 profiles linked to job fraud. It all started after he lost his own job. During his job search, he repeatedly noticed suspicious offers and began to examine their origins more closely.
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In the process, Jones encountered various fraud schemes. According to reports, some perpetrators create entire networks of recruiter profiles with similar images and information. They also lure applicants to fake websites or try to entice them into paid services. Often, however, the goal is to capture personal data.
Artificial Intelligence Increases the Pressure
According to Jones’ observations, perpetrators are increasingly relying on artificial intelligence. As a result, messages and job offers appear significantly more credible than before. The systems apparently analyze resumes and career paths and then create suitable cover letters. This gives the impression that real recruiters are reaching out.
In some cases, the fraudsters claim a resume needs improvement and then offer paid assistance. In other instances, they attempt to obtain identification documents or other personal data. Additionally, recruiter profiles with the same photos, similar information, and nearly identical profile addresses repeatedly appear. This suggests that the accounts are being created in large numbers.
Verified Profiles Are No Guarantee
According to Jones, hijacked user accounts are particularly problematic. The perpetrators take over inactive, already verified profiles and change their profile data. They then pose as employees of real companies, making the accounts appear credible at first glance. At the same time, Jones discovered job listings on verified company pages that directed users to external websites or foreign email addresses.
LinkedIn emphasizes that automatic security systems detect a large portion of such activities. According to the company, the platform blocked nearly 90 million fake accounts in the second half of 2025 alone. However, fraudsters continually adapt their methods to new security measures. Therefore, LinkedIn plans to introduce additional tools to help companies more quickly remove false connections to their firms.