{"id":24463,"date":"2025-07-31T08:36:36","date_gmt":"2025-07-31T12:36:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/me-en.kaspersky.com\/blog\/?p=24463"},"modified":"2025-07-31T17:12:15","modified_gmt":"2025-07-31T13:12:15","slug":"polyworking-genz-scams","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/me-en.kaspersky.com\/blog\/polyworking-genz-scams\/24463\/","title":{"rendered":"The polyworking Gen Z: new victims of cybercrime"},"content":{"rendered":"

The stereotype of Gen Z as lazy, uncommitted employees<\/a> averse to hard work, and prone to job-hopping is quite common. But the statistics tell a different story. Nearly half of Zoomers juggle<\/a> multiple gigs: a full-time job, freelancing, and various side hustles. And cybercriminals have identified these polyworking young professionals as convenient targets.<\/p>\n

Our experts dug into this trend and uncovered some non-obvious threats. This article explores how Gen Z can navigate their multi-job lifestyles without putting their cybersecurity at risk.\n<\/p>\n

More apps, more problems<\/h2>\n

\nThe core issue stems from the sheer number of corporate apps and accounts Gen Z has to juggle. Think about it: Zoom for one job, Slack for another, and Notion<\/a> for tasks across the board. And the more applications they use, the larger the attack surface for cybercriminals. Scammers constantly send phishing emails that convincingly impersonate employers, and distribute malware disguised as business software<\/a>. They can even send fake assignments, pretending to be your boss<\/a>.<\/p>\n

From mid-2024 to mid-2025, Kaspersky experts recorded six million attacks involving fake collaboration platforms. Most often, attackers imitated the \u201cgolden trio\u201d of corporate applications: Zoom, and Microsoft Excel and Outlook.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s how it might play out: an attacker sends an email seemingly from Zoom asking you to update the app. The email contains a link that leads to a phishing site mimicking the real Zoom page. This fake site then immediately downloads a bogus application to your device. The imposter app could then steal your contacts\u2019 data or even gain access to your entire work environment \u2014 the potential scenarios are numerous.<\/p>\n

Phishing site urging the user to install a \"Zoom update\"<\/a>

Phishing site urging the user to install a \u201cZoom update\u201d<\/p><\/div>\n

How scammers are deceiving job-seeking Gen Z<\/h2>\n

\nIf you\u2019ve ever seen a message in a neighborhood chat like, \u201cURGENT: remote work, $60 an hour!\u201d \u2014 it\u2019s likely a scam. But these days scammers have grown much more sophisticated. They\u2019re posting what look like legitimate<\/em> job openings on popular job platforms, detailing the terms so thoroughly that the positions appear genuine. In reality, even the most well-crafted job posting can turn out to be completely fake.<\/p>\n

\"Fake<\/a>

Fake SMM job posting<\/p><\/div>\n

Cybercriminals may even conduct fake interviews to make their schemes appear more convincing. One common form of extortion targets Gen Z through fake \u201cinterviews\u201d, where victims are told to log out of their personal Apple ID and access a purported \u201ccompany\u201d account. If the victim complies, the scammers activate Lost Mode, effectively bricking the applicant\u2019s iPhone. Naturally, they then demand a hefty sum to unlock it.<\/p>\n

Freelance opportunities also deserve a close look. The search for freelance work is often less formal than traditional job hunting: all communication happens through messaging apps, and payments might even come from a client\u2019s personal account. It\u2019s incredibly easy to imitate this casual communication style, and scammers exploit this. In a worst-case scenario, instead of landing a new gig, you could end up with a bricked phone, malware infection, compromised personal accounts, or even losing all your money to the \u201cclient\u201d.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s impossible to list every single red flag when you\u2019re looking for a new job, but here are the main things to watch out for.\n<\/p>\n