It started like any other job hunt. A qualified applicant spotted an exciting opening online with a respected Canadian company—one they’d long admired. The job description was thorough, the branding checked out, and the recruiter seemed professional. They applied immediately, exchanged a few emails, and then followed instructions to submit their Social Insurance Number and banking information to set up payroll “in advance.”

It wasn’t until their account was drained, their SIN was flagged for fraud, and the “recruiter” disappeared that they realized: they hadn’t applied for a job. They’d been targeted by a scam—and the company they thought they were joining? Completely unaware their name was being used to commit fraud.

If you think hiring scams are just a problem for job seekers, think again. More and more, threat actors are weaponizing legitimate company identities to carry out sophisticated fraud—making your brand the bait in a growing cybercrime trend. And when the dust settles, it’s your reputation and liability that may be left on the table.

Let’s break down how these scams are unfolding and what you, as an employer, need to know.

The Rise of Hiring Scams

Job scams aren’t new—but the scale, sophistication, and scope have shifted dramatically in the past few years. According to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, employment scams are among the top 10 most reported fraud types nationwide. And with generative AI making it easier to fake logos, write realistic job descriptions, and mimic recruiter language, even seasoned applicants are falling for them.

These scams are popping up on legitimate platforms—LinkedIn, Indeed, Facebook Jobs—as well as cloned versions of company websites. Some attacks are opportunistic. Others are calculated. But all of them rely on one key ingredient: the trust that your brand has already earned.

For businesses, this evolution poses a unique challenge. The cyber threat isn’t inside your network—it’s outside, wearing your face.

What These Scams Look Like

A typical scam plays out like a professional heist, minus the ski masks.

First comes the fake job posting. It uses your company’s logo, corporate tone, and even specific department names. The job description is often lifted word-for-word from real listings or crafted using AI to sound impressively accurate.

Next is the application portal—usually a convincing third-party form that asks for everything from resumes to SINs, reference contacts, and sometimes even banking details for “direct deposit setup.” In some cases, victims are told they need to purchase work-from-home equipment or training modules from approved vendors—another layer of fraud.

Then comes the vanishing act. The fake recruiter stops responding, the website disappears, and the applicant is left scrambling to recover stolen information.

In the eyes of the victim, your business was involved. In reality, you had no idea.

The Impact on Job Seekers

The fallout for applicants is more than just disappointing—it can be devastating.

They’ve handed over personal data. In many cases, they’ve lost money. And worse, they now feel betrayed by a brand they trusted. Imagine finding out that your dream employer wasn’t hiring at all—but someone pretending to be them just stole your identity.

What’s worse is how hard it can be to recover. Reporting the incident often leads to jurisdictional ping-pong between police, platforms, and privacy regulators. Meanwhile, the stolen data may be used in identity theft schemes, fraudulent tax filings, or other forms of cybercrime for years to come.

The Employer’s Dilemma

Here’s where it gets tricky: even though you didn’t launch the scam, the reputational damage still hits home.

Your company’s name is now associated with a cybercrime. Victims may leave angry reviews, call your HR team in distress, or post warnings on social media. And if those warnings go viral, your legitimate hiring efforts can take a serious hit.

There may also be legal concerns. If someone believes your lack of digital safeguards allowed the impersonation to occur—say, an unverified careers page, outdated listings, or unsecured subdomains—you could find yourself on the defensive.

And don’t forget internal disruption. When your HR team is fielding panicked calls about jobs they never posted, it slows down your ability to hire for the real ones.

A Real Canadian Example

In 2022, a Toronto-based company discovered that fake job listings bearing their name had been circulating on multiple platforms. Applicants were being asked to pay for training materials and onboarding kits. The scammers had cloned the company’s careers page and even used LinkedIn profiles of real employees to make the outreach seem authentic.

The company only found out when angry victims began reaching out on Twitter and Glassdoor, demanding answers. While they eventually posted a warning and took steps to report the incident, the reputational bruises—and shaken trust—took much longer to repair.

What Employers Can Do to Protect Their Brand and Applicants

You don’t have to sit back and wait for someone to misuse your name. There are proactive steps every business—especially small and mid-sized firms—can take to mitigate the risk.

Monitor your name and keywords online Set up Google Alerts for your company name plus words like “job,” “hiring,” or “recruiter.” It’s a simple way to spot rogue listings early.

Secure and maintain your careers page Make sure your job listings live on a secure, well-maintained domain. Use HTTPS encryption, keep information current, and list your open positions clearly.

Add a verification message Post a line on your careers page like: “All legitimate job opportunities with [Your Company] are listed on this website. If you’re contacted about a job that doesn’t appear here, it may be a scam.”

Train your HR team Make sure your hiring staff can spot unusual inquiries or scams that use your brand as bait. They should know how to escalate and respond swiftly.

Report and remove fake listings If you find fraudulent posts, report them immediately to the hosting platform. Encourage any applicants who were affected to do the same.

Communication Is Key

Silence can be costly. If you learn that your company is being impersonated in a scam, the best thing you can do is acknowledge it quickly and transparently.

Post a scam alert on your website or social media channels. Let people know you’re aware of the issue and offer a clear way to verify open roles. If possible, provide contact information for anyone who may have been impacted.

Don’t underestimate the goodwill this builds. Candidates appreciate employers who protect their interests—not just their own.

Final Thoughts: From Liability to Leadership

As cybercriminals evolve, so must the businesses they target.

Hiring scams are no longer someone else’s problem. When your name is used in a fake job listing, it becomes your brand’s problem—and possibly your legal one, too. But it doesn’t have to be a disaster.

With the right tools, monitoring practices, and communication strategy, you can stay one step ahead of scammers and reinforce your company’s reputation as a trustworthy place to work.

Because in today’s job market, the application process should be the beginning of a secure relationship—not a point of digital betrayal.

At Adaptive Office Solutions, cybersecurity is our specialty. We prevent cybercrimes by using analysis, forensics, and reverse engineering to detect malware attempts and patch vulnerability issues. By investing in multilayered cybersecurity, you can leverage our expertise to boost your defenses, mitigate risks, and protect your data with next-generation IT security solutions.

Every device connecting to the internet poses a cybersecurity threat, including that innocent-looking smartwatch you’re wearing. Adaptive’s wide range of experience and tools fills the gaps in your business’s IT infrastructure and dramatically increases the effectiveness of your cybersecurity posture.

To schedule a Cyber Security Risk Review, call the Adaptive Office Solutions’ hotline at 506-624-9480 or email us at helpdesk@adaptiveoffice.ca