Jobstreet by SEEK warns of growing impersonation scams in MY

Jobstreet by SEEK has issued a public warning amid a sharp increase in recruitment scams targeting Malaysian jobseekers, particularly through impersonation on platforms such as WhatsApp.

Between August 2024 and March 2025, the platform’s customer service team recorded 142 scam-related user reports. December 2024 alone saw 65 cases logged, the highest in the period. The actual number of incidents is likely higher, with many cases unreported or shared through informal channels, said Jobstreet by SEEK in a statement.

The company also reviewed over 4.9 million job ads across Asia-Pacific from July 2023 to June 2024, flagging nearly 10% for further checks. It removed more than 1,200 fraudulent listings and blocked over 1,400 high-risk hirers during the onboarding process.

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The platform also noted that scammers are increasingly posing as Jobstreet representatives, often sending messages claiming “your resume has been approved” to lure victims into revealing personal information or making upfront payments for fake job roles.

The company recently spotlighted four major scams in its Top Job Scams to Watch for in 2025 list. Among them were cryptocurrency task frauds, where victims are asked to pay in crypto for simple online assignments; money mule scams, which involve fake jobs used to move illicit funds through the victim’s bank account; identity theft, where fraudulent job ads are created to harvest personal and financial data; and impersonation scams, where scammers pretend to be Jobstreet agents via unofficial messaging apps.

To combat these threats, Jobstreet has ramped up its security efforts. Its Security & Privacy Hub now includes an updated “current scams page” that features known scams such as the “your resume has been approved” tactic, along with tips on how to avoid them. Banner alerts have been placed to direct users toward trusted information quickly. The platform has also launched a dedicated “protect yourself online” subpage that provides detailed prevention guides.

Beyond its website, Jobstreet is using its official channels on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn to share regular safety bulletins. It is also reaching users directly through targeted email alerts to raise awareness of ongoing scams and provide prevention strategies.

The platform advised Jobseekers to verify job offers only via Jobstreet’s official platform, avoid making any upfront payments or disclosing personal data through unsecured channels, and report suspicious activity immediately.

“Scammers take advantage of jobseekers who may overlook red flags in their urgency to find work. This exploitation not only causes financial loss but erodes confidence in legitimate opportunities. We remain committed to creating a safer job search experience and empowering users through transparency, technology, and education," said Nicholas Lam, managing director at Jobstreet by SEEK Malaysia. 

Scammers appear to be on the rise in Malaysia recently. In November last year, the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) reportedly requested social media platform Facebook to remove a total of 249, 268 pieces of content this year, 56,136 of the content were related to scams.

Prior to that, Communications minister Fahmi Fadzil reportedly urged members of the public to be cautious of scams involving AI-generated deepfakes. Fahmi reportedly called on the national news agency Bernama and Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM) to publicise and educate the public on the dangers of scam tactics using AI deepfakes. 

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