Since the beginning of the full-scale war, many Ukrainians with excellent education, numerous work skills, and serious professional experience have arrived in the United States. They are confidently and actively looking for their dream job, sending out a huge number of applications for positions with which America’s HR space is generously filled. However, reality can deliver a real shock that job seekers are not at all prepared for. Theft of personal data, manipulation involving intellectual property, and artificial intelligence as an employee are just three methods of fraud during the job search. Why is the message “We got you hired!” not always about you actually getting the job, and how can you protect yourself from a job scam? In this article—you’ll find advice for Ukrainians searching for work in the USA.
Scammers who want your intellectual property
“After careful consideration we decided to hire you as a candidate to video editor role” is the encouraging message everyone who has been looking for a job for several months longs to receive. A job search usually means a lot of stress, hundreds if not thousands of completed applications, some of which come back with a rejection—or no response at all. That’s why a message saying you’ve been selected somewhere is encouraging and becomes a breath of fresh air amid constant darkness and stress.
After such a message, you’re offered several possible time slots for an interview. And here, you definitely shouldn’t expect the interview to be via video call or even by phone. At the appointed time, you receive a message with a list of questions and a time limit for completing the task. The time is limited. The questions are general but at the same time very specific, requiring you to provide concrete examples of this or that work and your proficiency with the software used on the job. Importantly, the person contacting you keeps rushing you and holding you in a state of stress. Psychologists assure us this is a state in which a person is easy to manipulate.
“In addition to weakened memory, vigilance, attention, and healthy distrust, a person under stress is in great need of support, help, and a reliable foothold, and seeks to enlist good people who contribute to solving problems. These needs are very easy to manipulate. A person under stress has a significantly reduced ability to resist pressure, set boundaries, protect their interests, and firmly say no—scammers seek to take advantage of this,” says practicing psychologist and psychotherapist Valeriia Khudzitska.
Fifteen minutes before the allotted time runs out, the completed application is sent to the sender. And on the other side—no more messages. This is the first type of fraud I encountered. Professional recruiters reach out to you and then use people’s answers to train their clients. I learned about this from reviews on popular job search websites such as Indeed and Glassdoor, which have sufficient audience trust. These resources are also used by well-known companies when selecting employees, as confirmed by a qualified recruiter.
"To be confident in the company that’s offering you a job, you need to check platforms such as Glassdoor, Indeed, and the like. These are the first sites that come to mind, and they are quite reliable and popular job search resources in America. You can also find reviews there from people who have been through interviews or are current employees of the company," says Tara McCarty, a recruiter with 20 years of experience.
The constant feeling of urgency, being rushed with time and decisions, is another trick scammers use to further disorient a person at a moment that is already important and stressful. That’s what happened to me. Every time I encountered “scammers,” I was constantly rushed to make decisions. Recruiters, however, assure that a company truly interested in a candidate and in the quality of their work will instead give them time to make a thoughtful decision—and will do so without unnecessary pressure or haste.
"When a company is genuinely interested in a candidate, they will give them time to decide whether the offer is right for them and whether they can handle the job. Usually, this is a week or two for consideration—certainly not just a few hours. If it’s only a few hours and there’s constant pressure to speed things up—be sure: it’s a job scam!", adds recruiter McCarty. The psychotherapist, for her part, warns against rushed decisions, recommending a slow and thoughtful approach to any choices, urging people to think about their safety and to give both themselves and the employer some time.
"If you receive an offer, try to avoid immediate responses; always say something like 'I need some time to think it over' as a preventive measure. Pay close attention to your feelings and emotions—if the offer seems attractive but you sense suspicion, pressure, haste, or ultimatums, take a pause, spend some time alone, think it over in a calm environment, and seek advice," says practicing psychologist and psychotherapist Valeriia Khudzitska.
Job scam is a widespread fraud scheme in America, and the main victims of scammers are people looking for jobs. These schemes gained popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic when everyone worked remotely and hiring processes also moved online. That’s when scammers began using official company names, logos, and websites to simulate employment—tricking people into giving up their personal data, banking information, and more. The pretext was usually setting up a home office or conducting training before starting work. Out of despair and fear of being left without a job, people agreed—and in doing so became victims of fraud.
Extraction of Personal Data
Here is another case with a similar job offer. The next day after the questionnaire-style interview, I received a job offer and a contract that I was given only a few hours to sign. Along with the signed document, I was required to send a copy of my ID. It’s important to note that during those few hours, you are contacted by about a dozen people. All of them introduce themselves as financial directors, analysts, company representatives, recruiter assistants, and so on. At the same time, you receive various messages from different people using different email addresses. Each in turn asks for your phone number and email address. This raised suspicion. I realized I had once again encountered a scam, and I decided it would be wise at that point to check the company and write to their official email address, as well as try to contact its leadership. While waiting for a response, I decided to play along with the scammers to get more information from them and better understand their methods.
For example, after signing the contract, you are contacted by the company’s so-called financial director, who starts asking for your bank account information under the pretense that they need to transfer money so you can purchase equipment for setting up your home office. You are also offered supposedly excellent conditions and many appealing bonuses. They tell you that the equipment purchased by the company will become yours after some time. All of this is designed to get your personal data. If you argue that you don’t need the equipment, they counter that using personal computers or laptops is not allowed because the information you will be working with is confidential. “How then can the equipment become mine after three months?” I asked during a phone conversation. I was redirected to yet another round of managers or assistants who failed to provide a clear answer.
Meanwhile, a response arrives from the real CEO of the real company. She confirms my suspicions about yet another scam. The CEO states that they are not currently hiring anyone and that the offer I received was fraudulent. The company has forwarded the case to their legal department and law enforcement authorities—and once again, I am left without a job.
"The scammer’s goal is to gain access to confidential personal data, particularly financial information. One of the fraudulent methods is phishing. Phishing scammers try to extract private information, such as a Social Security number, ID card or other identity documents, followed by debit or credit card data, and information required to access accounts or to create fake accounts in the name of the victim. Identity theft is associated with the danger of becoming a victim of further crimes. For example, there are cases when scammers first gain the victim’s trust, listen to their concerns, and create a kind of psychological portrait. Once they identify vulnerabilities, they begin to manipulate them," says attorney Bohdan Zubach.
According to data from the BBB (Better Business Bureau), at least 14 million people fall victim to job search scams each year in the U.S. and Canada, resulting in at least $2 million in losses annually.
Artificial Intelligence as a Scam
GenAI is a technology that has gained remarkable popularity in just 10 months of its existence, reaching hundreds of millions of users. The job search and hiring sphere has not been exempt from its influence. Many companies in the United States—particularly in New York—now ask, during the job application process, whether applicants consent to having their résumé data processed by artificial intelligence. This practice is becoming widespread and popular. It simplifies the work of recruiters and, when used responsibly, should not be harmful—instead, it is intended to ease the initial stages of candidate selection.
However, here fraud takes on a mirror image of the cases previously described: scammers pretend to be job seekers. Company executives report cases in which potential employees refuse to turn on their camera or microphone during interviews. "That immediately raises suspicions. That’s why some companies first verify people they’re hiring for remote jobs. One of the main conditions during interviews is a camera turned on. Some companies may even make a test call to ensure the person really exists," shares Liza Matthews, Project Manager at KPMG US in New York. She adds that if a company does encounter scammers using AI technologies to land high-paying remote jobs, they launch a full investigation. “We cross-check the answers given with the ones previously provided, and verify the skills mentioned. We check whether they match and how identical they are to those stated in the résumé. It’s a serious and complex investigation,” says Matthews during a public lecture at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., on the responsible use of artificial intelligence technologies.
Latoya Asia, Vice President of Workforce Engagement and Talent Strategy at Dominion Energy, has received tons of emails from supposed job seekers. The volume of this "paperwork," she says, peaked in 2022 and has continued—clearly identified now as a scam. “The main reason why both companies and people looking for jobs or employees fall victim to scams involving artificial intelligence technologies is the lack of responsibility and regulation. There are no consequences—no oversight of such activity right now—and that’s alarming. My outlook at this point is quite pessimistic. That’s why I emphasize the need to regulate the use of AI technologies,” explains Asia.
“When we talk about using AI in recruitment, it’s essential to involve real people who can verify the identity of candidates and ensure the safety of their data. We are still at a stage where we cannot eliminate the human factor if we want to protect ourselves from fraud,” adds Latoya Asia.
How to Protect Yourself from Job Scams
Job search experts first and foremost recommend: if a job offer seems too good to be true, it’s best to decline it—because there is no such thing as easy money. It’s also important to use trusted and official job search websites. Always verify employers, firms, and companies through official registries. Do not provide your personal information to any unverified individuals. Be skeptical of all offers and research companies multiple times. It’s essential to contact the company’s CEO, write emails, and look up names on social media platforms.
"You should not provide any personal information to a company until you’ve gone through the entire interview process and signed an offer letter. Always Google the company to make sure it’s real. Make sure you’re speaking with a real person during the interview—find their LinkedIn profile. If you’re asked for personal information before being officially hired, walk away immediately," says recruiter Tara McCarty.
To reduce stress during a job search and avoid distraction in tense or high-pressure moments, seek support from loved ones and don’t play along with scammers. If something feels off, don’t hesitate to take a break.
"If you receive an offer, avoid immediate responses—always, as a precaution, reply with something like 'I need some time to think it over.' Consult others about how you're perceiving the situation, ask them to review the offers you've received, and evaluate any agreements or contracts. Pay close attention to your feelings and emotions—even if the offer seems attractive. If you have any suspicions, feel pressure, urgency, or are faced with ultimatums—take a pause, spend some time alone, reflect in a calm atmosphere, and seek advice," adds practicing psychologist and psychotherapist Valeriia Khudzitska.
Lawyers stress the importance of protecting the confidentiality of personal data. Do not disclose your tax ID, identification document numbers, or banking details, as doing so can harm your interests. Do not send any document copies.
Remember—your knowledge and professional skills are valuable assets, and you will surely find what you’re looking for. Give yourself time and confidence—everything will work out for the best.
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