Seattle, Washington — A senior executive at Amazon has revealed that the company has turned away over 1,800 job applications linked to suspected North Korean agents attempting to secure remote information technology positions. This announcement highlights ongoing concerns regarding cybersecurity and international fraud.

In a LinkedIn update, Amazon’s chief security officer, Stephen Schmidt, reported that individuals from North Korea have employed fake or stolen identities to apply for jobs. Schmidt noted that the primary aim of these operatives is simple: to gain employment, receive payment, and redirect those funds to support the regime’s weapons initiatives. This trend appears to be a growing issue in the U.S. tech sector, with Schmidt suggesting it could be affecting other companies as well.

In the past year, job applications from North Korean nationals at Amazon surged nearly 33%, raising alarms among security officials. Authorities in both the U.S. and South Korea have issued warnings about the tactics employed by North Korean hackers, who are increasingly engaging in online fraud.

Schmidt explained that many of these operatives collaborate with individuals managing “laptop farms” — computer networks in the U.S. that are remotely operated from abroad. To combat this issue, Amazon employs a combination of artificial intelligence and manual verification processes to review job applications.

He pointed out that the methods used by fraudsters have developed in sophistication, with bad actors increasingly hijacking dormant LinkedIn accounts using stolen credentials to establish credibility. This tactic can include targeting genuine software engineers to appear more legitimate. Schmidt urged employers to remain vigilant and report any suspicious applications to the authorities.

Employers are advised to watch for signs of fraudulent applications, such as improperly formatted phone numbers or discrepancies in educational histories. These indicators can signal that an application may not be what it seems.

Earlier this year, the U.S. government identified 29 illegal “laptop farms” operated by North Korean IT workers across the country. The Department of Justice revealed that these operations often relied on the forged identities of American citizens to facilitate employment for North Korean nationals.

Additionally, U.S. brokers who provided assistance to North Korean operatives in their job searches have faced legal repercussions. In a notable case, a woman from Arizona was sentenced to more than eight years in prison for her role in helping North Korean IT workers secure remote jobs at over 300 American companies. The DOJ reported that this scheme generated upwards of $17 million in illicit profits for the defendants and contributed to North Korea’s funding efforts.

As concerns over cybersecurity continue to escalate, tech companies and online platforms must remain vigilant against the ongoing threat posed by foreign operatives seeking to exploit job opportunities.