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The recruitment agency scam, I almost fell for…
I almost fell for the recruitment agency scam… I was unsure but just had a some useful interaction with a recruitment agency.
Back on 7th July I revived an email on my gmail address, not the one I mainly use for linkedin and lots of sites. Regardless I thought maybe they got it another way.
Here’s the email…
> Hello,
>
> I hope you’re doing well.
>
> I’m currently supporting several leadership and specialist searches, and your background stood out as potentially well aligned with a few of them.
>
> Before sharing details, I’d be interested to understand what you’re looking for in your next career move. That way, I can determine whether there’s genuine alignment rather than simply sending over a job description.
>
> If there’s a strong fit, I’d be happy to share more.
>
> Would you be open to exploring opportunities that align with your experience and future goals?
>
>
>
> Best Regards,
>
> S*************
>
> Recruiter
>
> B**********
Now looking at it, I should have spotted the genericness of it but I was more interested in the name and company. A name and company I looked up online and on linkedin.
The thing which stood out was they were in America not the UK. I remember having a conversation with my partner about the what kind of opportunity they could be offering, and not wanting to work in the USA. Plus the agency is based in Washington DC.
With that I tried to arrange a video call, which of course I got knocked back. I wrote something back saying I want to stay in the UK or western Europe for family and values. Thinking there would be a proposal for something state-side. I also made clear I was working on things which matter for the public rather than giant corporates money.
A few days later, I got an job proposal back a hybrid position as AI Innovation Director in the UK Cabinet Office in London. I scratched my head and beard with a salary of up to 180,000 gbp, I browsed through the detail and it felt unhuman but then again its from a job spec (I thought). The recruiter kept asking me to provide my CV and cover letter.
> I hope you’ve been doing well.
>
> I just wanted to follow up on the AI Innovation Director opportunity I shared. I appreciate that you’re likely busy, so I simply wanted to check whether you’ve had a chance to review it.
>
> If it still aligns with what you’re looking for, I’d be happy to review your resume against the mandate and determine the most appropriate next step.
>
> I look forward to hearing your thoughts when you have a moment.
But I wasn’t sure about it, so pushed back and then they provided an alternative job a day later
> Thank you again for your thoughtful response. I really appreciated the additional context you shared, particularly your interest in opportunities centered on the ethical use of technology, AI, open data, and responsible innovation. That gave me a much clearer picture of the type of mandate that would genuinely resonate with you.
>
> Based on that, I came across a role that I believe is a much stronger fit.
>
> Director, AI Ethics & Responsible Use
> Marriott International | Remote
>
> This executive leadership role is focused on shaping the organization’s Responsible AI strategy by establishing governance frameworks, guiding the ethical adoption of AI across the business, and partnering with executive, legal, technology, and product leaders to ensure AI is deployed responsibly, transparently, and in line with emerging regulations. The position also offers a highly competitive compensation package, including a six-figure base salary, annual bonus, and equity.
>
> Given your background in ethical technology, emerging technologies, open source initiatives, and your passion for driving meaningful societal impact through responsible innovation, I thought this opportunity aligned much more closely with what you described.
>
> If this resonates with the direction you’re looking to take, I’d be glad to share the full job description.
This is when I did what I should have done much earlier. I messaged the named recruiter on linkedin. It was a early message and I was 3 degrees away but they replied.
> Hi Ian thank you for making me aware of this. That is NOT me. Please do not continue to respond to them. My legitimate email is ******************
It all clicked then and I realised I should have done this right at the start. The email was from the company, not a gmail. It also matched the recruiter company domain.
We talked for a bit and I shared all the emails with them, as they wanted to share it with their company security. This also made me think knowing this is a scam, I should share it with the NCSC, which I have done too.
Lastly because I am very aware of the social pressure to bury this stuff, I decided to write this blog to warn others of this scam and how easy it is to be tricked.
Be-careful out there!
