Jobseekers are being warned to stay cautious as scammers are using job listing websites to trick people into downloading fake interview tools. One victim received a message on LinkedIn from what appeared to be a legitimate recruiter offering a job interview. The message included a document that looked normal but was actually malicious software. Within hours, hackers had drained the victim’s cryptocurrency accounts of £18,000 before vanishing. The victim, who chose to remain anonymous, described the experience as deeply distressing, saying they felt "a horrible feeling to be out a substantial amount — something I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy." LinkedIn and Indeed, two major professional recruitment platforms, have both reported an increase in job scams in recent months. LinkedIn highlighted what it calls the "Gen Z Scam Gap," noting that younger professionals are the most likely to encounter scams (32%), yet nearly a third (32%) admit to ignoring warning signs due to a competitive job market. When asked by the BBC, LinkedIn explained that in a tight job market, many young people feel they can't afford to be skeptical, fearing they might miss out on rare opportunities. The platform advises users to verify the legitimacy of companies and jobs, and to conduct thorough research before engaging in any interview processes. The victim, who had recently handed in their notice and was actively seeking a new job on LinkedIn, received a message from a fake recruiter offering a potential job. The recruiter conducted a video call and asked the victim to complete a technical assessment using a Google Sheet document. Unbeknownst to the victim, the document contained malicious software. After completing the task, the person awoke to find their cryptocurrency wallets empty. They described feeling emotionally and mentally drained, expressing a mix of disbelief, anger, and self-blame. "I felt confused until I figured out how they had got me," they said. Cybersecurity researcher Charlie Kelly from Have I Been Pwned analyzed the attack and noted that these scams are particularly hard to detect. "This wasn't a poorly written email with a suspicious attachment — this person was walked through what looked like a real job interview, on real Google pages, behind a real Google login, and the software they were asked to install was digitally signed like any legitimate app," Kelly explained. Similar scams have also been reported on the job listing platform Indeed, where criminals are luring job seekers into downloading fake apps, such as a bogus "Indeed Interview" app or "MyInterview." These apps are designed to steal private data or be used for financial attacks. Indeed has advised job seekers that interviewing through their platform is done entirely in a browser and never requires downloading a special app. Any message asking for an app download is not legitimate. In total, seven job seekers have reportedly been scammed out of £200,000.