A job seeker who had been hunting for work for 4 months was left shocked after arriving for an in-person interview at a prominent business centre, only to discover that the company did not exist.
Sharing the incident on Reddit, the job applicant said that they were contacted by a recruiter for a “high priority” Operations Manager role at a firm supposedly located in a prestigious downtown office tower. The process initially appeared legitimate, with formal emails, a calendar invite, a suite number, and even a security clearance form.
“Everything seemed professional over email,” the user wrote, adding that they even submitted sensitive personal details, including their Social Security Number and a scan of their ID, under the pretext of gaining access to secure floors in the building. “I showed up ten minutes early, dressed in a full suit,” he said.
However, the Redditor said that the situation quickly took a strange turn. When the job seeker informed security about the interview, the guard checked the directory and said the 14th floor had been vacant and under construction for months. “There is no such company in the building,” the guard told the candidate.
The user said that he attempted to contact the recruiter, but failed as the number was disconnected. The company website shared earlier also showed a “404 Not Found” error. “It was like the entire company vanished into thin air the moment I stepped into the lobby,” he wrote.
(Also Read: ‘Sick and tired’: Job seeker posts negative Glassdoor reviews for companies with ‘terrible interview etiquette’)
Realisation of a scam
The OP said that it was at that moment that he realised that he may have fallen victim to a sophisticated identity theft scam. “They didn’t want to hire me. They wanted my data. They now have my social security number, a high-resolution scan of my driver’s license, my home address, and my full employment history. I fell for a high-effort identity theft scam because I was desperate for a paycheck,” he wrote.
The job seeker said that said they have since taken steps, including freezing their credit and filing a police report, but described feeling “violated” and shaken by the experience. “The fact that scammers are now renting out professional domains and using the prestige of actual landmarks to lure people in is a terrifying new low. Be careful out there if they ask for sensitive info for building security before you even meet a human being, run,” the user concluded.
Social media reactions
The post has sparked concern online, with several users sharing similar incidents.
One user shared, “This happened to a family member. He showed up to a building with a sign attached to the door saying “XYZ business does NOT exist, nor is it at this location”. Apparently the door staff was getting so many people showing up for this scam job interview that they decided to put up a sign.”
“I’m sorry OP 🙁 people get tricked like this all the time, and it can be very realistic. I definitely fear falling for something myself, because I know I would!!” commented another.
“Scammers have been renting domains for decades. The key giveaway in this scam is the request for ID pre meeting. Always do your ID checks on-site and in real time. If requested beforehand, that’s scam territory,” wrote a third user.
(Disclaimer: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.)