My name is Rebecca Lawson, a 31-year-old single mother from Portland, Oregon, and I want to share my experience with a job scammer named Adrian Cole so no one else goes through what I did. Like many people, I had been searching for a remote job after losing my office position. When Adrian approached me on LinkedIn, I thought it was the opportunity I had been desperately waiting for.
Adrian claimed to be a senior hiring manager for a well-known multinational technology company. His profile looked flawless—professional headshot, years of experience, dozens of connections, and what appeared to be legitimate endorsements. He said the company was urgently hiring remote administrative staff due to rapid expansion and that my profile “perfectly matched their requirements.”
Everything felt genuine. He sent me a PDF job description, onboarding steps, salary package, training schedule—everything looked professional. The job offered $3,800 per month, flexible hours, and full work-from-home benefits. For someone struggling financially, this felt like a blessing.
The interview process was conducted over Telegram, which he claimed was the company’s “official communication tool.” He asked structured questions and complimented my professionalism. Within an hour, he congratulated me saying I was hired.
That was the moment things slowly started to fall apart.
Adrian told me the company would ship me a brand-new laptop, headset, and software tools for work. All I had to do was “pay the refundable security fee of $350” to activate the equipment at customs. I hesitated, but Adrian insisted this was corporate policy and that the amount would be reimbursed with my first paycheck.
After thinking about my son and our financial situation, I convinced myself it was worth it. I transferred the $350.
The next morning, he messaged again saying there was a “system issue” and I needed to send another $520 to complete the setup. My chest tightened. I asked if I could speak with someone else from the HR team, but he avoided the question, saying delays could cause me to lose the job.
When I refused to pay more, his tone changed completely. Adrian became aggressive, threatening that I would “lose the opportunity” and that I had already “violated company policy.” At that moment, I realized the truth—I had been scammed.
When I checked LinkedIn again, his profile had disappeared. Every document he sent me was fake. I felt ashamed, angry, and heartbroken. That $350 was the money I was saving for rent.
Today, I’m sharing my story because these scammers prey on people who are simply trying to survive. If a job asks you for any kind of upfront payment, walk away immediately. A real employer will NEVER ask for money.
Please stay alert. No job is worth losing your peace of mind.