Using AI to catch AI scams

I was checking my email when a subject line caught my eye: “You’d be a great fit.” Curious, I opened it.

The message was from a recruiter with surprisingly specific details — my qualifications, my current role, my background. It was flattering, well-written, and ended with an enthusiastic pitch about how I’d be perfect for opportunities at their company.

My inner critic — the one that catastrophizes everything — actually came in handy for once. Something felt off.

I looked up the company. It was legitimate. A worldwide engineering firm with a strong reputation. But here’s where it got interesting: why would a global engineering company need someone with a doctorate in Special Education? I ran the email through Claude, and it flagged red flags immediately — vague role descriptions, mismatched industry fit, and recruiter language designed to flatter rather than inform.

So I had Claude draft a response with three pointed questions. Their reply came quickly — a job description that appeared tailor-made for me, with a salary range between $290,000 and $360,000. Flattering? Absolutely. Suspicious? Even more so.

I ran the job description back through Claude. More red flags. This time I went directly to the company’s official website and found the actual posting. The job existed — but the salary, qualifications, and description did not match what I had been sent. Someone had taken a real job and doctored it to mirror my resume.

That’s the scam. They build false urgency with an inflated salary, earn your trust, then eventually ask for personal information — your Social Security number, bank details, or a payment for “onboarding materials.”

The lesson for job seekers: apply for positions yourself, go through official channels, and be deeply skeptical of unsolicited outreach that feels a little too perfect.

And as for the scammer? I sent them a link to my new adult coloring book. I figured they could use some stress relief.

If you need some stress relief color your way to serenity- https://a.co/d/06kVy1Vg