Episode 379: Helga goes solo: Phishing scams targeting board professionals

Today on the Take on Board podcast, I discuss the rise of phishing scams targeting board professionals and share two examples I’ve received: one that’s loudly “too good to be true,” with eye-watering compensation, and another, more subtle, flattering message that uses credible governance language.

I explain the key red flags to watch for (vague details, missing recruiter credentials, Gmail addresses, and requests for money or ID), why these scams are increasing due to AI-driven web scraping, and the likely end games: selling services, harvesting identity documents, or profiling active email accounts.

I also share practical steps to protect yourself—pause before responding, verify the recruiter and domain, cross-check via LinkedIn or by contacting the firm directly, and if it feels like a scam, don’t respond… block and delete.