When “Smart Automation” Crosses the Line: My LinkedIn Scam Story

Today, I was scammed on LinkedIn.

Well...almost.

I was just scrolling, minding my business, when I came across a post in a Microsoft group. It looked like a recruiter advertising job opportunities. 

So naturally, I checked the profile. Real picture, credible background. Still, something in me hesitated. You know that tiny voice that whispers, this feels off? Yeah. That.

But curiosity won, and I decided to see it through.

The post invited me to connect and “chat about some openings.” Within minutes, I got a DM asking what roles I was interested in and at what level. Standard recruiter questions, right? After a quick exchange, they asked me to upload my résumé.

So I did.

Five minutes later, I got this long, overly polished message:

“After reviewing your résumé, we realized it’s not formatted for current ATS systems. We recommend reaching out to this résumé specialist.”

And then came a Fiverr link.

At first glance, it might’ve seemed legit. But my workflow strategist brain immediately clocked the pattern—it was an automation. A cleverly disguised one.

Here’s what bothered me: They were using a fake LinkedIn profile to funnel job seekers into buying résumé services. No transparency, no consent. Just data-mining disguised as opportunity.

Now, could my résumé use a little polish? Probably. Professional experiences evolve. 

But setting up a fake recruiter profile to bait people into paying for your services? Shame.

And honestly, I’m torn. Part of me understands the technical precision and marketing tactic—the funnel did what it was designed to do. 

The other part? Deeply unsettling. Because this wasn’t another smart automation. It was deception.

Here’s how I could tell it was automated from start to finish:

1. The Instant Responses

The moment I sent my résumé, the “review” came back exactly five minutes later. Not ten. Not twelve. Five on the dot. That’s an automation timer. Humans don’t operate that precisely, especially when reviewing résumés.

2. The Robotic Language

The tone was off. Too formal, too repetitive. Every message included lines like, “Kindly connect with our specialist,” or “Did you reach out to her?”. Real people don’t talk like that in quick back-and-forth DMs. That’s AI-agent speak.

3. The Errors

Sometimes our fingers slip on the keyboard. Auto-correct usually has your back when texting. But the spelling and grammatical errors throughout this exchange were inexcusable. Misspelling Fiverr as F!ver-r. Switching pronouns from “he” to “she”. 

4. The Persistence

After the “review,” I received three follow-ups within ten minutes—all pushing the same Fiverr link. Yuck, that’s spam.

At that point, I laughed, blocked them, and reported the account.

But here’s the thing: while the situation was annoying, it was titillating enough for me to write about it. It showed just how easy it is to build AI-assisted automations that blur ethical lines.

Automation Isn’t the Enemy—Unethical Use Is

I’m not anti-automation. Far from it. Automation can make our workflows smoother, save time, and help us stay consistent. But we can’t forget the human side.

When tech is used to deceive instead of serve, we lose trust. And once that’s gone, no system can fix it.

As someone who builds workflows for a living, I believe ethics and empathy are just as important as efficiency. The goal isn’t to trick people into converting; it’s to design experiences that feel genuine and transparent.

So no, I won’t be falling for this or similar tactics. But I will keep championing workflows that respect people’s time, attention, and trust.

Because automation should feel like support, not deception.

Has this happened to you?

Author Note

Hi, I’m Jackie—The Workflow Whisperer.

While my focus is on strategic solutions for entrepreneurs, I make sure there’s flow behind the workflow. Social media, automations, marketing—it all connects. And when it’s done right, it feels natural, not forced.

If you’ve been wondering how to automate your marketing or streamline your operations without losing your human touch—send me a message (I’m real!). Let’s chat about building ethical systems that scale.

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