What looked like a promising remote job turned into a nightmare for Shelby Springer, a grad student from Chicago, when a convincing proofreading offer turned out to be a full-blown identity theft scam.
The job, posted under the name of a seemingly reputable Californian school, aligned perfectly with her academic background. Springer did her research — checking credentials, state records, and only applying after everything looked legitimate. But the illusion began to crack quickly.
After a brief virtual interview, Springer was asked to submit onboarding documents: name, address, banking information, and her Social Security number. It wasn’t until they insisted she purchase a pre-configured laptop from a shady, third-party site that she trusted her gut — and walked away.
Unfortunately, it was already too late.
Within two days, her Social Security number appeared on the dark web. She was forced to close her accounts and enroll in identity monitoring services. The job post — found on Indeed — has since disappeared, but the damage lingers.
Indeed claims to remove millions of fraudulent listings monthly. But Shelby’s case underscores a grim truth: even the most careful applicants are targets. As remote job scams grow more sophisticated, vigilance isn’t optional — it’s survival.
