“I just had a chat with a Google engineer on LinkedIn. She offered to mentor me for ₹3,000 an hour. Said she could refer me internally, too.”
Amit’s eyes were glowing. Fresh out of college, with a Comp Sci degree and big dreams of landing at Google, he thought he’d hit the jackpot.
“What’s her name?” I asked, already sensing something off.
“She goes by Priya J. FAANG,” he replied. “Has a verified-looking profile. She posted last week about getting into Google after four rejections. Sounds real, right?”
I nodded slowly and opened LinkedIn. There she was, hundreds of comments, slick visuals, even a pinned testimonial from someone thanking her for a “life-changing session.”
But as I scrolled through her posts, something felt too polished. Too perfect.
And that’s where the rabbit hole began.
The Rise of the “FAANG Mentor”
Over the last year or so, a growing number of so-called tech mentors have mushroomed all over LinkedIn. Their common pitch?
“Landed at Meta after 5 rejections. Want help getting in? Book a 15-minute free session.”
That free session, of course, is just bait. Once you’re in the trap, they slowly push you toward paid mentoring, promise referrals, and even offer “exclusive resume reviews.”
Some of them even create fake job offers or claim to connect you with HR managers, only to vanish once the money hits their account.
In Priya’s case, a deeper look revealed:
- She never worked at Google (her work history had zero details—just “Software Engineer, Google”).
- The testimonials were copied and pasted across multiple similar profiles.
- The referral she promised? A generic Airtable form with no actual job posting attached.
Amit was lucky. He asked before paying. Others aren’t.
The Scripted Trap: A Typical Flow
Let’s walk through how these scams usually go down.
Step 1: The Hook
A well-designed post. A fake office selfie. A motivational line.
“Don’t give up. I failed four interviews before landing at Netflix. Happy to help anyone struggling. DM me.”
Step 2: The Call
In the free 15-minute chat, they’ll be kind and encouraging.
“You’ve got potential. I can see it in your profile. You just need to tweak your approach.”
Then comes the soft sell.
“I normally don’t do this, but for serious candidates, I offer in-depth sessions at ₹3,000 per hour. And I can help with referrals too.”
Step 3: The Public Validation
Before you hang up, they’ll say:
“If you found this chat helpful, could you drop a quick recommendation? It really helps others.”
Boom. Another 5-star review.
Multiply that by 50, and you’ve got a LinkedIn mentor who looks legit, but isn’t.
Not Just Harmless Fluff
The problem isn’t just about ₹3,000 sessions.
It’s about young professionals spending their time, hopes, and often their last bit of savings on a dream that’s being exploited.
These fake mentors prey on emotion.
The desire to “break into FAANG,” the fear of being left behind, and the trust we naturally place in people who look successful online.
To make matters worse, they borrow credibility, posing in FAANG merch, speaking in HR jargon, and referencing interviews they never gave.
Some even use AI-generated images now. Seriously.
So, How Do You Spot Them?
Let’s put it this way—if someone’s pushing you into paid sessions right after a basic chat, you’ve got your red flag.
Ask questions like:
- What exactly is your role at the company?
- Can I verify your name on the official company page?
- Why don’t you wait for me to see value before asking for a testimonial?
And most importantly, trust your gut. If it feels off, it probably is.
The Bigger Damage
What makes this even more dangerous is how it’s impacting real mentors and genuine professionals. They’re getting buried under the noise of fakes who have gamified the system.
And for the FAANG companies?
Their brands are being used, twisted, and monetized without consent. There’s no public outcry yet, but you can bet someone at Legal is watching.
Final Thoughts
Amit didn’t lose money. But many others did. And all because someone on LinkedIn wore the costume of success without earning it.
This isn’t about hating on mentors. It’s about calling out those who manipulate hope for a quick buck.
So next time you see that FAANG hoodie on your feed, take a closer look. It might just be a wolf in silicon clothing.
