HeadHunters NW Clarification: ZEV Technologies Has Never Posted Fake Jobs

A fake recruiter exploited a real ZEV Technologies opening that HeadHunters NW was recruiting for. ZEV was a victim of the scam, not its source.

Cody, WY – HeadHunters NW, a leading executive search firm serving the Small Arms & Shooting Industry and other specialized sectors, issued a clarification regarding its October 1, 2026 press release, "HeadHunters NW Podcast Features Mike Petronella & GhostJob Creator Aaron Hutsell," and the accompanying "Fake Recruiter Podcast" episode. Neither the release nor the episode said, or was intended to suggest, that ZEV Technologies posts fake jobs. At no time has ZEV Technologies posted a fake job.

The Vice President of Sales position discussed in the episode was a genuine ZEV Technologies opening, and HeadHunters NW was the recruiting firm conducting that search. A fake recruiter with no connection to ZEV Technologies or HeadHunters NW took details of the real opening and used them to contact job seekers. That individual then pressured candidates to pay for resume and CV rewrite packages.

ZEV Technologies had no part in those emails. The company was a victim of the scheme, which used its name and its real opening without authorization. Where the October 1 release referred to a "purported" role, the word described the scammer's fraudulent outreach, not the position itself or ZEV Technologies' hiring practices.

"I want to be completely clear: ZEV Technologies did nothing wrong," said Shaylene Keiner, President of HeadHunters NW. "The job was real, our search was real, and a scammer tried to hijack both. ZEV has never posted a fake job, and we regret any confusion our earlier announcement may have caused."

The episode's purpose was to show how convincing recruiting scams have become. Scammers copy real openings at respected companies because those openings are credible. In this case the fraudulent emails came from Gmail addresses, pushed candidates to act quickly, and asked for payment. A legitimate recruiter will never ask a candidate to pay a fee.

Anyone contacted about a ZEV Technologies position by a person requesting payment should not pay. To verify whether outreach about this search is legitimate, contact HeadHunters NW directly at info@HeadHuntersNW.com or 503-551-7114.

The "Fake Recruiter Podcast" episode remains available on HeadHunters NW's website and across its podcast distribution channels.

About HeadHunters NW: HeadHunters NW is a premier executive search firm specializing in recruiting exceptional leadership talent across Artificial Intelligence & Software, Cybersecurity & Intelligence, Defense & Aerospace, Manufacturing & Automation, and the Small Arms & Shooting Industry. We transform organizations by identifying and securing executives who scale at the pace of your ambitions. Our expertise lies in finding leaders who don't just meet growth targets -- they accelerate beyond them, turning challenges into competitive advantages. For more information or to discuss your executive talent needs, visit HeadHuntersNW.com or contact Shaylene Keiner at 503-551-7114.