The Holmes Beach Police Department is warning residents about a phishing scam targeting job seekers through fraudulent interview invitations that appear to come from recruiters representing Meta, the parent company of Facebook.
The warning, featured in the department’s latest Scam of the Week alert, highlights how cybercriminals use fake appointment scheduling websites to trick applicants into revealing their Facebook login credentials and security codes.
The scam begins when a job seeker receives an invitation to schedule a 30-minute interview with someone claiming to be a Meta recruiter. The message directs the recipient to what appears to be a legitimate scheduling platform, where they are asked to select an interview time, provide contact information, and complete a CAPTCHA verification.
After completing those steps, the applicant is prompted to log in to Facebook. However, the login page is fraudulent and designed to capture usernames, passwords, and other sensitive information.
According to the department, scammers use unfamiliar recruiting domains and counterfeit login pages to make the process appear legitimate. Once a victim enters a password, the criminals may immediately attempt to access the actual Facebook account.
The scheme can also bypass certain forms of two-factor authentication. If Facebook requests a verification code, the fraudulent website prompts the victim to enter that code as well. Criminals can then use the information before the code expires, potentially gaining unauthorized access to the account.
Another tactic involves displaying a message informing applicants that they will receive an interview confirmation email within 90 minutes. This delay is intended to reduce suspicion while scammers attempt to take control of the account and prevent the legitimate owner from accessing it.
Police are encouraging residents to carefully examine website addresses before entering personal information, particularly when receiving unexpected interview invitations. Unfamiliar recruiting domains, suspicious links, and requests for account passwords should be treated as warning signs.
Job seekers should also verify employment opportunities through the company’s official careers website rather than relying solely on links provided in emails or messages.
The department emphasizes that legitimate recruiters do not require applicants to provide social media or email account passwords to schedule interviews. Residents should never share authentication codes or approve unexpected login requests.
Anyone who suspects they have entered information on a fraudulent website should immediately change their password through the official website or application, review account security settings, and sign out of unfamiliar sessions. Individuals who reuse passwords across multiple accounts should update those credentials as well.
The Holmes Beach Police Department encourages residents to remain alert to increasingly sophisticated phishing attempts and share scam warnings with friends and family members.
As online recruitment becomes more common, verifying the identity of recruiters and the authenticity of scheduling websites remains an important safeguard against identity theft and account takeovers.
