Scammers Target Monster.com Users
Some scammers have weaseled their way into Monster.com and are using email addresses gleaned from the site to run a phishing scam.
From the Boston Herald:
"What we're talking about here is not a hack of Monster," Manzo said. "These criminals have gotten access to customer login user names and passwords. They've probably gotten this directly from our customers."If you receive a request to download the "Monster Job Seeker Tool," beware!Symantec Corp. security analyst Amada Hidalgo uncovered the infiltration of Monster's site and posted his findings on the California network security company's Security Response blog on Friday.
What's known as a Trojan horse in computing terms - a program that installs malicious software - accessed Monster.com and uploaded information from it to a remote computer server.
"Such a large database of highly personal information is a spammer's dream," Hidalgo said.
Phishing e-mail sent to the addresses taken from Monster.com bore the company's logo and personal information about the recipients. The e-mails asked recipients to download a fake "Monster Job Seeker Tool," which is actually a copy of a Trojan horse.
"This Trojan will encrypt files in the affected computer and leaves a text file requesting money to be paid to the attackers in order to decrypt the files," Hidalgo said.
Monster marauders: Attackers grab customer info, e-mail addresses [Boston Herald]
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The structural problem - business model perspective - is that their revenue is solely from employers (and "employers"). Or rather, that's their focus. They need to think larger. No applicants, or no decent applicants, then no employers.
I think they've lost track of this simple fact. It seems like they're ONLY concerned with churning as many postings as they can, without applying quality control. Even simple things like, "is this the right category?" Let alone taking it to the next level and saying, "this really needs to be catagorized as (whatever euphemism they use for MLM-all-commission sales jobs)".
Hotjobs, Monster, Careerbuilder, all these guys, need to wake up.
Although, this really takes the cake. Absurd.
@SaveMeJeebus: that's actually the fastest way to find a job scam: post your resume on Monster or a similar job site.
I mostly hate such sites because it means my resume will get lost among the ten thousand others that get heaped on some manager's desk when he advertises a job opening...
CareerBuilder has a different problem. I've received half a dozen or so "work-at-home" solicitations to "process checks" from scam artists who dummy up a email recruit notice using CB's graphics. I had a long chat with CB today. This is a major headache for them since their brand is under attack. Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, then it is not true.
monster.com itself is a scam
dont use monster
dont use careerbuilder
They'll get you no where quick
I've had very good luck with America's Job Bank. I got my first offer out of college through a company I contacted there!
@Melov: Actually, I got a few jobs through Monster.com. Granted, I didn't end up keeping them, but I did stay for about 6 months when I needed it (and no, it wasn't MLM, it was for a call center).
I agree with the first two posters. Monster is just good for scams now. When I started getting scam emails after reposting my resume with them, I notified them of the problem, and they said they were "looking into it". Two years later, the same problems exist. Monster used to be good, but not anymore.
In the IT world, everyone uses Monster for job postings.
The newspaper ? forget it. Dead media for our line of work.
I did make the mistake of signing-up with Carrierbuilder.com I never saw so much scam postings in my life. Also, my spam-to-email ratio went through the roof.
I've had a good experience with Monster, actually. Haven't found anything yet, but I've been getting responses and interviews and the like.
No these were NOT MLM/Call Center jobs; I'ver personally noticed a decrease in them. However the new sites (www.work[CITYNAME].com) still has those issues.
I'm enjoying people's "monster/careerbuilder sux" comments. Any alternatives, or do you just feel like griping about everything this morning?
I have had good success for IT work with Monster, altough mostly for finding contract employers.
Monster worked for me. I got one job offer out of it directly and also found out that the company that I had used to work for was doing a whole bunch of hiring. The one job offer I go via monster was in the same building as my old company and while I was on the interview for it, I ran into my old boss and gave him my updated resume. I was told pretty much on the spot that they'd definitely hire me back.
I haven't had luck when hunting using Monster or Careerbuilder; most of the job "offers" I get from either site were contract/low pay/not the type of job I wanted.
I've had the best luck on dice.com and craigslist. The last 2 jobs I've gotten my last 3 jobs from Craigslist, and they are all tech jobs.
It's not that we're haters. We simply wish that they realized that job applicants are part of their market as well, and would hope they clean up their listings, enforce categories (MLM, contract work and all-commission, fine - LABEL it so!) and police who can post jobs under which category. If at all (spammers, bad!) Oh, and not be a trojan horse/Federal criminal distributing center - you know, the simple things.
What sucks is that they're so prominent now. TINA. They should act accordingly. It shouldn't just be about collecting as many fees as possible w/ spam "job" offerings.
I got my current job through Monster, but I'd never had any luck before that. I also got a ton of spam emails offering me jobs from 419 scams.
Monster.com is a monster--the good kind!
@not_seth_brundle: HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH awesome.
Krop.com is quite good for creative/advertising work
Well, if you're having trouble locating a military recruiter, Monster can help you with that!
Monster.com is a FRAUD, pure and simple. Monster.com and its ilk, such as "The Ladders" are not career sites. They are simply recycled databases.
Don't fall prey to the scam. Read what one expert has to say:
Is Monster.com good for anything besides MLM schemes anymore? Their clientele can't be too bright anyways seeing as those "job" postings are becoming ubiquitous and real jobs are hardly ever posted.