How to Recognize and Avoid Online Job Scams
Quick Answer
Job scams have grown significantly alongside remote work. Scammers post on Indeed, LinkedIn, ZipRecruiter, and other legitimate platforms alongside real listings, and they have become skilled at mimicking the look and feel of genuine employers. Knowing the mechanics of these scams is the most reliable protection.
How Job Scams Are Structured
Most job scams follow one of a few consistent patterns:
The fake check scam. You are hired quickly with minimal vetting. Before your "start date," you receive a check and are asked to deposit it, then send back a portion via wire transfer or gift card for "equipment," "training," or "supplies." The check bounces days later, and you are responsible for the full amount sent. Your bank will recover the funds from your account.
The upfront fee scam. You are offered a position but must pay for a background check, training materials, certification, or proprietary software before you can begin. Legitimate employers do not charge employees for these things.
The personal information scam. The "employer" conducts a rapid hiring process and quickly asks for your Social Security number, bank account details for "direct deposit setup," or a copy of your ID. The goal is identity theft or account access, not employment.
The reshipping scam. You are hired as a "package processing specialist" or similar role and asked to receive packages at your home and reship them. The packages typically contain goods purchased with stolen credit cards. You become unwittingly involved in a criminal operation.
Red Flags in Job Listings and Interviews
- The job offers unusually high pay for minimal qualifications or effort
- The interview happens entirely over text or chat (Google Hangouts, WhatsApp) rather than video or phone
- You are hired with little or no interview and asked to start immediately
- The employer's email uses a free domain (Gmail, Yahoo) rather than a company domain
- The listing has vague job duties but mentions high earnings and flexibility
- You are asked to pay for anything before starting
- Requests for your SSN, bank details, or ID come very early in the process
- The company name cannot be found independently, or the website was recently created
How to Verify a Job Offer Is Legitimate
Search the company independently. Do not use contact information from the listing. Search the company name plus "careers" or "contact" and verify the listing appears on their official website.
Verify the recruiter's email. The email domain should match the company's website. A recruiter from "Amazon" emailing from an @gmail.com address is a scam.
Search the company on FINRA, BBB, and LinkedIn. Legitimate companies have consistent, established presences. Fake employers often have newly created LinkedIn pages or no presence at all.
Call the company's main number. Look it up independently and ask to verify the job listing and the person who contacted you.
What to Do If You Suspect a Job Scam
Stop communicating. Do not send any money, cash any checks, provide personal information, or reship any packages.
If you have already cashed a check: Contact your bank immediately. Explain the check was part of a potential scam. The bank may be able to halt the wire or flag the situation, though recovery of funds already sent is not guaranteed.
If you provided personal information: Go to IdentityTheft.gov immediately and follow the recovery steps. Place a fraud alert with the credit bureaus.
Where to Report
- FTC
- FBI IC3
- The job platform where the listing appeared (Indeed, LinkedIn, etc. all have reporting tools)
- Your state attorney general
What to expect: Reporting to the job platform gets the listing removed quickly and protects other job seekers. FTC reports contribute to pattern identification and enforcement.