Another LinkedIn “Recruiter.” Another Scam Pattern.
Apparently, my LinkedIn profile has become a magnet for people who need to work on their scam scripts.
This morning, I received a connection request from someone presenting himself as Abdulrasheed (Tirimisiyu) Adisa, a “Senior Human Resources Recruiter at Confidential.” I accepted it.
Almost immediately, he messaged me about my “career transition” and asked what types of positions I was targeting.
I told him: Director-level Learning & Development roles.
Then he asked what career level I wanted—despite my having just told him Director—and my salary expectations.
I answered: Director, minimum $180K.
Then came the familiar request:
“Kindly share your most recent resume so I can conduct a proper evaluation and present you to the hiring team.”
🚩 And here we go again.
I already suspected this was a scam very early in the conversation because I looked at his profile.
His experience shows several supposedly concurrent positions:
Senior Human Resources Recruiter at “Confidential”
Resume Writer and Career Coach through Fiverr and Upwork
Career Coach at Upwork
Career Coach at Apex Career Partner
Headhunting through Fiverr
These positions overlap each other extensively.
Then there's an alleged Bachelor of Arts in Human Resources Management from Harvard Business School, which raised another rather large eyebrow.
So I asked a very simple question:
“Is this for a role or are you selling a service? Send the job description.”
Instead of answering the question directly, I suddenly received a list of five remote positions supposedly matching my background, along with an attached Word document.
And here's another interesting detail: the message said he would “verify current openness with each organization”after I selected the positions I wanted to pursue.
Wait.
You're recruiting me for jobs, but you haven't verified that the jobs are actually open?
🤔
I responded with one word:
“Scam.”
And wouldn't you know it?
Almost immediately, the connection disappeared. His name in my LinkedIn inbox became “LinkedIn Member.”
That was fast.
The lesson isn't that every recruiter who contacts you is a scammer. Plenty of legitimate recruiters reach out to candidates every day.
The lesson is to look before you leap.
Check the person's employment history. Look for overlapping jobs that don't make sense. Look at their education. Ask for the actual job description. Ask which company is hiring. Don't unthinkingly send your resume, personal information, or money simply because someone says they have the perfect opportunity.
And when somebody supposedly recruiting for a Director-level position can't even get your name right—his opening message said, “I hope you're doing well Alexandro”—perhaps that's another clue.
Alexandro, wherever you are, apparently we both have an exciting career opportunity.
😂
Follow along at NielFlamm.com/blog for more adventures from the increasingly bizarre world of online recruiting.
Another "Recruiter" Says They're Not Selling a Service... Until the End
I've seen this pattern enough times that I recognize it almost immediately.
A recruiter reaches out with a "confidential search" for a role that seems tailored to your background. The message is highly personalized, highlighting your experience and accomplishments. It looks legitimate.
So I asked a very direct question:
"Is this a true recruitment opportunity or are you selling a service (resume, career, etc.)?"
The response?
"This is a genuine recruitment opportunity, not a resume, career-coaching, or other paid service offer."
Sounds reassuring... right?
The conversation continued with detailed job descriptions, salary ranges, and responsibilities. Everything appeared legitimate.
Then came the familiar next step.
"Send me your current resume."
If you've followed these scams before, you know what often comes next.
This is where many job seekers eventually hear that their resume "needs work," they're not positioned correctly, or they need help standing out before they can be presented to the employer. That's when the sales pitch begins.
I'm not saying that's what would have happened here—I chose not to continue the conversation before it reached that point. But it follows a pattern I've documented many times.
Another detail that caught my attention was the email address used to contact me.
The recruiter somehow found my moogie14a@aim.com email address—a mailbox I haven't actively used in years. Not exactly the email address I'd expect a professional recruiter to find first.
This is why I encourage every job seeker to ask direct questions early in the conversation.
If someone says they are not selling a service, that's a good start—but don't stop asking questions.
The real concern isn't just wasting time.
The fear is that someone pays hundreds of dollars through PayPal, Zelle, cryptocurrency, Cash App, or another payment method, only to discover they never receive what was promised—or have little chance of recovering their money.
I'll continue documenting these interactions, the tactics being used, and the warning signs so others can recognize them before it's too late.
Follow my blog for additional recruiting scam investigations, screenshots, and real-world examples:
Stay skeptical.
Ask questions.
Verify everything.
Trust your instincts.
Another Day, Another LinkedIn "Recruiting" Scam
At this point, I'm starting to wonder...
Do I have a mark on my forehead?
This time it was Eman Saber, who claimed to be a Hiring Manager | Corporate Recruiting | Kleiner Perkins.
A quick look at the profile raised questions. The experience listed was extremely limited, and the employment timeline appeared to overlap with another role. Despite claiming to represent Kleiner Perkins, the profile also referenced TABSEER COMPANY, which didn't align with the recruiting message.
Then came the familiar script:
- An unsolicited executive opportunity.
- Generic praise about my "extensive experience."
- A request to move the conversation off LinkedIn to WhatsApp or Microsoft Teams Users Group.
I've seen this pattern too many times.
The scammers need to do better.
Has anyone else noticed an increase in these fake recruiter accounts? I don't even have the #OpenToWork banner enabled, yet they keep finding me.
Stay skeptical. Ask for a job description. Verify who they represent. And don't leave LinkedIn until you've confirmed you're dealing with a legitimate recruiter.
Follow along on NielFlamm.com/blog.
Is It Really a Recruiter... or a Sales Pitch?
Have you ever been contacted by a recruiter with an "exclusive opportunity" that wasn't posted anywhere?
I was.
What happened next raised more red flags with every message.
The conversation moved from LinkedIn to Microsoft Teams, questions went unanswered, and what appeared to be a recruiting opportunity took a very different turn.
If you're actively looking for your next role, you need to know what to watch for before you invest your time—or your money.
I break down the entire interaction, the warning signs, and what happened next in this video.
🎥 Watch here: https://nielflamm.com/videos/scams
Recruiters or Resume Sellers? Ask the Question.
If you're actively looking for a new opportunity on LinkedIn, stay alert.
Today I was contacted by two different "recruiters." I'll share the second conversation when I receive it, but I'm posting this one because it's a fair and straightforward question.
"Is this an opportunity, or are you going to offer me a resume writing service?"
As of writing this post, I haven't received a response.
That doesn't automatically mean this isn't a legitimate recruiter. It may be. I don't know.
My point is this: don't be afraid to ask direct questions.
As job seekers, we're sharing our resumes, employment history, and sometimes personal information. Taking a few moments to verify whom you're speaking with is time well spent.
Suppose this turns out to be a legitimate opportunity; great. If not, asking the question may save someone time, money, or frustration.
I'll also share the second conversation once I receive it so everyone can compare the interactions.
I've been documenting my job search, recruiting experiences, and other career observations on my blog at NielFlamm.com/blog. I hope some of those experiences help others navigate today's job market.
Have you received messages like this on LinkedIn? What questions do you ask before engaging?