From Job Hunt to Identity Theft Attempt: My Encounter with a not-so Sophisticated Scam
In the midst of my job applications, I received an email from a recruiter named Cameron, representing a company called IXIS Digital, offering a Jr System Administrator position I had applied to. Excited about the opportunity, I replied, and soon enough, I received a PDF with basic questions about the role. I diligently provided my answers and even shared a project showcasing my skills in building a mock AD DC.
However, red flags started waving when I received a reply the very next day, stating I was accepted, and I should send my complete details for further processing. The company would then send me a cheque to purchase equipment to get started right away. The speed and lack of a formal interview made me uneasy.
Curiosity got the better of me, and I decided to investigate. The recruiter’s email domain from Google Apps seemed suspicious, and I couldn’t find any credible information about him or the company, IXIS Digital. When I called the company’s listed number, no one answered.
During my investigation, I conducted a domain registration search for both IXIS and IXISDIGITAL.com. I found that IXIS was an established domain, with a history dating back quite some time. However, the domain IXISDIGITALJOBS.COM had a suspicious registration date of 2023-06-18, which raised significant concerns. Additionally, the fact that it had privacy protection enabled struck me as unusual, as it is typically the IT department of a legitimate company that handles domain privacy. These findings added to the growing sense of doubt about the authenticity of the company and its job offer.
Feeling something was amiss, I turned to Reddit and Google for answers. I stumbled upon the Better Business Bureau (BBB) website, which contained alarming information about job offer scams related to identity theft. Interestingly, I found a case that closely resembled the style of communication I experienced with this supposed job offer. In that case, the victim was also promptly contacted and offered a job without going through the usual interview process. Subsequently, they were informed about receiving payment by check to quickly purchase equipment from third-party vendors to get started. However, the victim later discovered that the check was fraudulent.
The pattern described in this scam involved an initial request for basic personal information, such as Full Name and Address, followed by subsequent emails asking for even more sensitive details, including Social Security Numbers (SSN) and possibly Bank Account Numbers. This similarity to my own situation, combined with the information found on BBB, strengthened my suspicions that this offer was not genuine and could potentially lead to identity theft.
Armed with this knowledge, I decided to confront the recruiter. I asked for a meeting with him and the hiring team so he couldn’t pretend to be someone else if he decided to fake a video call. Unsurprisingly, my email went unanswered, confirming my suspicions about the authenticity of this offer.
My job hunt adventure took an unexpected turn, but it served as a valuable lesson in staying cautious and vigilant during the application process. As I continue my search for genuine opportunities, I remain vigilant to protect my identity and ensure a secure career path.