Looking for a job? It could be a scam — Nord VPN uncovers phishing campaign impersonating top brands' recruiters | Tech Radar
Overview
News, deals, reviews, guides and more on the newest smartphones
News, deals, reviews, guides and more on the newest computing gadgets
Details
Start exploring exclusive deals, expert advice and more
Unlock and manage exclusive Techradar member rewards.
Looking for a job? It could be a scam — Nord VPN uncovers phishing campaign impersonating top brands' recruiters
Cybercriminals are impersonating top brands like Meta, Disney, and Spotify to hijack job seekers' Facebook accounts
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.
Unlock instant access to exclusive member features.
Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards.
Nord VPN researchers uncovered a massive recruitment phishing scam
Scammers impersonate top global employers like Meta, Disney, Spotify
The job market is tough enough without having to dodge cybercriminals. But according to new research from Nord VPN, hackers are now impersonating recruiters from some of the world's biggest brands to hijack the social media accounts of unsuspecting job seekers.
The cybersecurity firm’s Threat Intelligence unit has exposed a highly sophisticated phishing campaign that weaponizes the names of major employers, including Meta, Disney, Coca-Cola, and Spotify.
'Simple but dangerous’ – Top VPNs targeted by typosquatting as 14% of fake domains found to be malicious
'Cybercriminals are industrializing deception': new report reveals how major global cybercrime syndicates have infiltrated trusted domains with millions now at risk - here's what you need to know
Nord VPN’s new tool helps you spot online scams — and it’s free for everyone
If you want to protect your personal data while applying for roles online, using one of the best VPN services with built-in anti-malware and malicious tracker blocking is a smart first step. However, staying completely safe from targeted phishing requires a deeper understanding of how these multi-stage scams actually work.
Nord VPN: up to $50 of Amazon gift cards with 2-year plans If you are not a journalist or activist, good news — Nord VPN is currently offering a fan-favorite deal to celebrate its 14th anniversary. While its prices haven't been reduced this time round, grabbing a Nord VPN deal gives you the chance to get free Amazon gift vouchers on all its non-Basic plans. With any of these plans, you'll get:
🗡️Threat Protection Pro 🔒 Nord Pass password management 👤 Data breach scanning 📱 10 simultaneous connections ⚡️ Super-quick VPN connections
To get the maximum value gift voucher, you'll need to get the most expensive Nord VPN plans. Remember, though, it's only worth upgrading to plans that offer features you think you'll actually use.
The campaign kicks off with a professional-looking cold email, often sent via legitimate platforms like Google App Sheet to slip past standard spam filters.
These messages feature clean grammar and target victims whose contact details were likely scraped from platforms like Linked In or exposed in previous data breaches.
Interestingly, Nord VPN found that these sites feature a clever built-in evasion tactic. If a security scanner or an analyst visits the URL directly, they only see a blank, harmless webpage. The malicious "Search for a job" button only activates when the site is triggered by a unique referral link embedded in the original phishing email.
Once the victim clicks through, they land on an intermediate site that flawlessly mimics a legitimate corporate job board. Researchers identified several fake portals, including connect.spotifycareerapply[.]com for Spotify and jobquest.wdcfuturesteps[.]com for Disney.
Tik Tok for Business accounts targeted in phishing campaign — here's how to stay safe
Ever heard of 'quishing'? Nord VPN warns the future of scams lies in QR codes – and shares some tips on how to stay safe
Hackers hijack Linked In comments to spread malware - here's what to look out for
Domininkas Virbickas, product director at Nord VPN, explains that job seekers are "uniquely vulnerable" to these types of attacks as they’re already in a mindset of sharing personal information and following instructions from unfamiliar contacts.
"Such campaigns take advantage of that trust using polished communications and convincing fake career portals that are nearly indistinguishable from the real thing," said Virbickas.
To protect yourself, Nord VPN recommends making a habit of verifying the URL before entering any personal data. Legitimate mega-brands will always host their career pages on official, recognizable domains, not unusual third-party links.
If you still have doubts, I recommend running the link through Nord VPN's URL checking tool or similar software. It's completely free to use for anyone, even those who don't have an active Nord VPN subscription.
Finally, Nord VPN suggests always activating two-factor authentication (2FA) across your social media profiles. Even if a sophisticated phishing page manages to steal your password, 2FA serves as a vital safety net that blocks attackers from accessing your account.
Follow Tech Radar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button!
Rene Millman is a seasoned technology journalist whose work has appeared in The Guardian, the Financial Times, Computer Weekly, and IT Pro. With over two decades of experience as a reporter and editor, he specializes in making complex topics like cybersecurity, VPNs, and enterprise software accessible and engaging.
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
1 Looking for a job at Meta, Disney, and Spotify? It could be a scam, Nord VPN warns
2'Hundreds of thousands of stolen secrets could potentially be circulating as a result of these recent attacks': Google says North Korean hackers behind major attack on Axios
3 This upcoming retro handheld looks like the PSP successor I've been waiting for
5 Apple TV HD moved to obsolete list despite continuing software support
Tech Radar is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.
© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.
Key Takeaways
- News, deals, reviews, guides and more on the newest smartphones
- News, deals, reviews, guides and more on the newest computing gadgets
- Start exploring exclusive deals, expert advice and more
- Unlock and manage exclusive Techradar member rewards
