Spotting Professional Email Scams Before It’s Too Late!

As marketers and creators, we often receive emails that seem like opportunities  collaborations, job offers, partnerships. But not all that shines is gold.

Last week, I received an email that appeared to come from Messenger HR, inviting me to apply for a Director of Social Media role. The message was professionally written, complimented my work, and seemed tailor-made for someone in digital marketing.

But something didn’t feel right.

Here’s what the email said:

"We’re always excited by marketers who lead with curiosity and your work caught our attention. We’re hiring for a Director of Social Media. Just reply to this message and we’ll share more."

No links, no formal application page, just… reply to this email.

🚩 What raised red flags:

1. Suspicious Email Domain:
   The sender was from messenger-jobhunt.com not an official Meta or Messenger domain (such as @meta.com or @fb.com).

2. Too Good to Be True:
   Director-level roles don’t just appear in inboxes out of nowhere especially without a previous conversation or application.

3. No Job Description or Official Link:
   Legitimate companies always include a proper job link, or at least a LinkedIn job post or referral process.

4. Emotional Targeting:
   The language was flattering, vague, and persuasive crafted to build trust quickly. This is often used in social engineering scams.

 How to Stay Safe:

• Always verify the sender's domain — even if the email looks professional.

• Google the recruiter’s name + check LinkedIn: If they’re legit, they’ll appear.

• Never give out personal details or download attachments unless you’re 100% sure.

• Use Gmail's “Report Phishing” feature to flag suspicious emails.

• Trust your instinct. If something feels “off,” investigate before acting.

I’m sharing this not because I fell for it but because I nearly did. And I know many talented creatives out there are targeted the same way, especially women in digital spaces who are building a name for themselves.

We deserve better and staying alert is part of protecting our growth and our work.

Have you received similar emails?

Let’s raise awareness.
Comment or share your story together, we can outsmart the scammers.

#ScamAwareness #WomenInMarketing #SocialMediaCareer #LinkedInTips #CreatorSafety