Faking the friendly “from” name on an email or message so it appears to come from a real recruiter or company.
Most inboxes show a sender's display name prominently and hide the actual email address. Scammers set the display name to “Google Recruiting” or a real hiring manager's name while the true address is a random or look-alike account — the mismatch is invisible at a glance, especially on mobile.
Always expand and read the full email address, not just the name your app shows.
What it looks like
A message from “Sarah Chen • Talent Acquisition” whose real address is “[email protected].”
Red flags
- Friendly name looks official but the address doesn't match
- Company recruiter emailing from a free mail service
- Reply-to address differs from the sender
Deep-dive guide
Job Board Credential Phishing: Fake Login Pages That Steal Your Accounts
Frequently asked questions
How do I see who really sent an email?
Tap or hover on the sender name to reveal the full email address. If the display name says a company but the address is a personal or look-alike domain, treat it as spoofed.