The red flags popping up in job postings in the new year

Jobseekers ought to be wary of fraudulent job postings cropping up during the surge of new year hiring.

Cyber security company Bitdefender has urged caution when clicking or applying to job postings, especially with links that might be too good to be true.

Latest data from its Antispam Lab reveals popular approaches go one of two ways: text-heavy messages mimicking an official HR department or one-click actions accompanied by slick visuals and fast-tracked next steps.

Scammers have turned to impersonating recruiters and well-known, multinational companies like Amazon in their latest attempt to collect private data. They all promise exactly what many vulnerable jobseekers are searching for: easy jobs, flexible work, and immediate starts without needing an interview.

Emotional pressure, a sense of urgency, or hinting at missing out, especially when the recipient hasn’t applied to the position in question, is another red flag. If “your interview is confirmed” appears out of the blue, it’s likely to be illegitimate.

Additionally, emails may claim the recipient is an “excellent fit” or already approved and request moving the conversation to other platforms such as WhatsApp, Telegram, or Microsoft Teams.

It is here that the extraction of personal information becomes easier.

Exercising reasonable judgement is recommended to lessen the risk of personal data theft, identity fraud, financial scams, data for training, malware, and other sinister intentions.

Scam campaigns have been identified internationally, with popular targets being the US, the UK, France, Italy, and Spain. The language may be tailored to the location, but patterns remain the same.

While some malware can be delivered from clicking one link, fraud can be a multi-step process, which is why submitting personal documents, signing up to portals, or making any payments before credentials have been verified poses a significant risk to your data.

Suspicious URLs or sender addresses are another giveaway, and tools that check suspicious links are also worth considering. If in doubt, changing passwords, enabling two-factor authentication where possible, and monitoring financial accounts would also be a smart move.

In hiring season, it may feel even more urgent to secure that job upgrade. But in 2026, with AI expanding the possibilities of deception, a promising job opportunity is not worth the risk to your finances.