Last week, I received an email from a recruiter at a well-known executive search firm.
The opportunity sounded impressive. A board director role. A nominating committee seat. Total compensation in the range of $1M to $1.6M. It was way out of line for what he described, and it set off five alarms. Something smelled weird.
The recruiter had done his homework, referencing my fractional CMO background, my work with the WSJ CMO Network, and my experience in brand strategy.
But the outreach was oddly personal. It felt targeted and specific. It felt real.
It wasn’t.
The First Red Flag I Almost Missed
The email came from a Gmail address. Not a company address. A personal Gmail.
Now, I get informal outreach all the time, and I’ve learned not to dismiss something just because it doesn’t arrive on official letterhead.
But a partner at a retained executive search firm conducting a confidential board search? That person would never use Gmail. Their firm’s reputation depends on discretion and professionalism. A Gmail address is a liability, not a convenience.
I almost overlooked it because everything else about the email seemed so credible.
The Compensation Was Too Good to Be True
Board retainers in the $1M-plus range exist, but they’re reserved for large public companies and major private equity-backed enterprises.
For the kind of small to mid-sized consumer brand described in the email, that compensation structure made no sense.
Legitimate board roles at that level typically pay somewhere between $50,000 and $150,000 in cash and equity combined.
When something sounds too good to be true in marketing, I always tell my clients it usually is.
The same rule applies here.
I Pulled the Thread
Rather than ignoring my gut, I started checking. The first thing I did was put all the communication into Claude and ask for a review to see if there were signs of a scam.
The company named in the opportunity, Apex Brand Partners, Inc., had no verifiable online presence. That’s a significant red flag on its own.
But the recruiter’s name led me somewhere different. I found his LinkedIn profile. Real career history. Real companies. Everything checked out.
Then I went directly to the search firm’s website and found the partner who had reached out. He was listed as a Partner, with his official firm email and a direct phone number.
That’s when it clicked.
The person in the emails was not the named partner.
Someone had stolen his identity and was using his real name, background, and his firm’s credibility to run a scam.
What Happens Next in This Kind of Scam
The likely next step would have been a request for my resume and board bio for “internal benchmarking.” From there, the scammer would have had my personal information, my career history, and potentially enough to attempt identity theft, credential harvesting, or an advance-fee scheme.
These scams work because they target people with public profiles.
If your name appears in industry publications, on LinkedIn, or in association directories, you are a target. Scammers pull that information and use it to make their outreach feel earned and specific.
I Contacted the Real Partner
I emailed him directly at his recruitment company’s address, forwarded the suspicious emails, and asked whether any of this was legitimate.
He had no idea it was happening. He appreciated the heads-up, and his firm launched an investigation.
Five Things to Check Before You Respond to Any Opportunity
1. Is the email from an official company domain? A Gmail address from a partner at an established firm is a red flag, full stop.
2. Does the compensation make sense for the type of company described? If it sounds extraordinary, it probably is.
3. Can you independently verify the company? A quick search should surface something. If it doesn’t, that’s your answer.
4. Is the recruiter listed on the firm’s official website with matching contact information? Don’t use the contact details in the email. Find them yourself.
5. If something feels off, contact the firm directly through their main number. One email or phone call can settle the question in two minutes.
Your Public Profile Is Your Brand. Protect It.
For those of us who have spent years building a visible professional presence, that visibility is an asset. But it also makes us easier to target. Scammers are getting more sophisticated. They don’t just send generic phishing emails anymore. They personalize. They research. They use real names, real firms, and real career details to build credibility.
The best defense is simple.
Slow down.
Check the basics. And trust your instincts when something doesn’t feel right. And AI can be your friend when you screenshot a message that feels odd.
My gut almost talked me out of it.
I’m glad I kept asking questions.
Connect with Jeff at The Marketing Sage Consultancy. Interested in setting up a call? Use my calendly to schedule a time to talk. The call is free, and we can discuss your brand, marketing needs, and challenges.
Feel free to email me at jeffslater@themarketing sage.com or text 919 720 0995. Thanks for your interest in working with The Marketing Sage Consultancy.
Photo by Bermix Studio on Unsplash
