POV: That Job Offer In Your DMs is a Scam!

THIS ISSUE AT A GLANCE

• Watch Out for Job Text Scams → Learn how to protect yourself in today’s competitive job market

• Nano-Banana AI Tool Spotlight → No Design background? No problem! Explore Gemini 2.5 Flash Image (“Nano Banana”)—a generative AI image editor making creative projects faster and more accessible, with Mansi More

• Cyber Students: Win a Fully Covered Trip to OneCon 2025 (Vegas!) → Flights, hotel, food stipend, and full ticket sponsored by SentinelOne + RAÍCES Cyber! Apply by Sept 18

• Be the Next RenderATL Ambassador! → Share your tech journey and get exclusive perks, including a free RenderATL 2026 ticket, by joining the RenderATL Ambassador program.

• Upskill with Blockchain Development → Take part in the “10 Days of Base” blockchain sprint to build and launch real apps, learn smart contracts, frontends, automation, and more!

• Build on the Self-Writing Internet in Montreal → Join global builders for Caffeine AI Montreal, featuring demos, workshops, and networking focused on next-gen AI and the self-writing internet movement.

THE RISE OF JOB TEXT SCAMS

With 59% of our community actively job searching and many facing the challenging tech job market, we need to talk about something that's directly targeting people like us—fake job offers via text, email or social DM.

The Federal Trade Commission reports that text job scams skyrocketed from $14.8 million in losses in 2023 to $61.2 million in 2024. What's particularly concerning? These scammers are getting sophisticated, using AI to create "letter-perfect websites" and compelling pitches that even experienced professionals can fall for.

Meet Sunita Dhougoda, a 37-year-old freelance software engineer and mother of two who nearly fell for a sophisticated scam. After being laid off in 2023, she received what looked like a legitimate job offer through Microsoft Teams. The red flag? The scammer used "[email protected]" instead of the legitimate company email domain.

This resonates deeply with our community—particularly those who've been affected by recent tech layoffs or are seeking flexible work arrangements that fit around caregiving responsibilities.

Here's what actually works for scammers:

• Timing: They exploit economic uncertainty and the current competitive job market where applicants per job on LinkedIn are up 70% since 2022.

• "Task Scams": These offer seemingly easy remote work like "app optimization" or "product boosting"—terms that sound familiar to our tech-savvy community. Victims may even receive small initial payments before being asked to pay money to complete subsequent tasks.

• AI Enhancement: Scammers now use artificial intelligence to create professional-looking communications without grammar or spelling errors.
  

Essential Rules for Our Job-Seeking Members:

1. Real employers never initiate contact via unsolicited texts—they just don't

2. Trust your instincts: If something feels off, research the company domain carefully

3. Use LinkedIn's verification features: Look for verified badges and turn on warning messages for harmful content

4. Report suspicious texts: Don't just delete—report them to help protect others
   

Get Involved in Cybersecurity Awareness Month

We’re building next month’s lineup of workshops, panels, and community activations—and we want your voice at the table.

🔧 Are you interested in…

• Volunteering with our team

• Hosting a technical workshop

• Partnering with CreateHER Fest

• Collaborating on resources or events

Fill out our quick interest form and help us shape Cybersecurity Awareness Month together!

COMMUNITY: MANSI MORE AND THE PHOTOSHOP KILLER YOU NEED TO TRY

Ready to meet the tool everyone’s calling a game-changer for creators? Our own Mansi More— CreateHER Fest’s IWD2025 hackathon presenter and tech trailblazer—takes us inside her hands-on experience with Gemini 2.5 Flash Image (aka “Nano Banana”). Think generative AI magic meets accessible image editing: real-world results, quick-start tips, and projects anyone can build (no design background required).

Curious about how this could transform side projects, portfolios, or community hackathons? See what Mansi is building—and why the buzz might just be justified.

COMMUNITY SURVEY

Enjoyed it? Share it with your network!

SPONSORED CONTENT

~Sponsored content appears here to help fund our community operations. We’re not affiliates, and you’re never expected to buy—BUT simply visiting their site to explore is a small act of support for CreateHER Fest’s mission 🩷

How 433 Investors Unlocked 400X Return Potential

Institutional investors back startups to unlock outsized returns. Regular investors have to wait. But not anymore. Thanks to regulatory updates, some companies are doing things differently.

Take Revolut. In 2016, 433 regular people invested an average of $2,730. Today? They got a 400X buyout offer from the company, as Revolut’s valuation increased 89,900% in the same timeframe.

No wonder 10K+ everyday people are taking the chance on Pacaso.

Founded by a former Zillow exec, Pacaso’s co-ownership tech reshapes the $1.3T vacation home market. They’ve earned $110M+ in gross profit to date, including 41% YoY growth in 2024 alone. They even reserved the Nasdaq ticker PCSO.

The same institutional investors behind Uber, Venmo, and eBay backed Pacaso. And you can join them. But not for long. Pacaso’s investment opportunity ends September 18.

Invest While You Still Can

_{Paid advertisement for Pacaso’s Regulation A offering. Read the offering circular at invest.pacaso.com. Reserving a ticker symbol is not a guarantee that the company will go public. Listing on the NASDAQ is subject to approvals.}

THIS WEEK’S RESOURCES

• Cyber Students: Fully Covered Trip to OneCon 2025 (Vegas!) 🚀

  • Current cybersecurity students can apply to win a fully covered trip (flights, hotel, food stipend + ticket) to attend OneCon 2025 in Las Vegas (Nov 4–5). Sponsored by SentinelOne + RAÍCES Cyber. Must be 21+, U.S.-based, and enrolled in a cyber program.

    Deadline: Sept 18, 2025. Apply Now →

• Caffeine AI Montreal

  • Caffeine AI comes to Montreal on Sept 23! Join AI leaders and builders for buildathons, demos, keynotes, and networking around the Self-Writing Internet tech stack. Register Here →

• Become a RenderATL Ambassador

  • Become a RenderATL 2026 Ambassador! Share your tech journey and help spotlight the nation’s top software conference. Ambassadors get a free RenderATL 2026 ticket plus exclusive connections and early event access. Apply Here →

• 10 Days of Base

  • Level up your Blockchain development skills with 10 Days of Base—an interactive sprint where you’ll build and launch real apps on Base daily. Learn smart contracts, frontends, automation, and more, with hands-on projects and community support. Hosted by Web3Compass & Dev3pack with Base. Register Here →

Until next time,

Discover \ Design \ Deliver