Amazon Fends Off 1,800 Suspected DPRK IT Job Scammers

Amazon has said it blocked more than 1,800 suspected DPRK operatives from joining the company since April 2024, highlighting the scale of the IT worker scam problem. The Amazon CSO’s LinkedIn post notes that there has also been 27% more DPRK-affiliated applications quarter-over-quarter this year. According to Stephen Schmidt, the company’s chief security officer, Amazon uses a wide background process including credential verification, AI-powered background checks, and structured interviews with applicants.

He described how scammers pretend to be real software engineers, hijack LinkedIn accounts, and even operate “laptop farms” to maintain a US presence while workers are located offshore. Schmidt also observed a shift in recruitment targets, with increased focus on AI and machine learning roles, and urged organisations to query their databases for resume and education inconsistencies and to implement identity verification at multiple hiring stages.