Lies of the Professional

Names and places mentioned herein are hypothetical.

Maria has just graduated in computer science. Job hunting was stressful. Every LinkedIn post about friends’ new roles or achievements made her anxious.

One evening, a message came from a recruiter claiming to be from one of the leading tech companies. It praised her projects and invited her to a “fast-track” interview in two days. Maria felt a mix of excitement and hope.

The recruiter asked her to install AnyDesk for a coding test. Maria hesitated but installed it. During the session, she was asked to log into her LinkedIn account and they watched as she typed her Google credentials. She did it because she was afraid of missing the opportunity to hold her back.

A few days later, Maria received an email:
“Your LinkedIn password had been changed.”
Her account was compromised. She felt helpless.

While trying to make sense of what had happened, Maria found a Hithawathi awareness video. Feeling a spark of hope, she reached out to Hithawathi and shared her experience. Hithawathi guided her on how to secure her accounts, change her passwords, set up two-factor authentication, and watch for suspicious activity and also explained the warning signs she had missed: urgent requests, fast-track offers, and remote access software.

Maria regained control over her accounts and her confidence. She realized that even seemingly perfect online opportunities can be risky. She shared her story with friends to help them avoid similar traps.

Maria’s experience reminds us that vigilance, verification, and seeking trusted guidance are essential to stay safe online.