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Recognizing Job Scams: Warning Signs and What to Do

By the Gray Hair Jobs Editorial Team · Published · Facts checked against sources on · 2 min read

The short answer

A job scam is a fake job offer designed to take your money or personal information. Common warning signs include being asked to pay for training or equipment, being hired without a real interview, receiving a check and being told to send part of it back, and pressure to act fast. Legitimate employers do not charge you to get a job.

Key points

  • Real employers do not ask you to pay to get a job.
  • Being hired without a real interview is a warning sign.
  • Fake check schemes ask you to deposit a check and send money back.
  • Scammers often contact people through text or chat apps.
  • Report job scams to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

Common warning signs

Be cautious if a job offer includes any of these:

  • You must pay something. Fees for training, certification, equipment, starter kits, or background checks paid to the "employer."
  • A check arrives before you start. You are told to deposit it, keep some, and send the rest by gift card, wire transfer, or payment app. The check later bounces, and you lose the money you sent.
  • No real interview. You are offered the job after a short text or chat conversation.
  • Early requests for sensitive information. Your Social Security number or bank details before you have interviewed or received a written offer.
  • Pay that seems too high for easy work or very few hours.
  • Pressure and urgency. "Reply within the hour or lose this opportunity."
  • Personal email addresses for a supposedly large company, or a company you cannot find on your own.

How to check a job

  1. Search for the company's official website yourself. Check that the job is listed there.
  2. Look up the company's phone number on its own website, not in the message, and call to confirm.
  3. Search the company name with words like "scam" or "complaint."
  4. Paste the listing or message into our scam check tool.

What to do if something feels wrong

  1. Stop. Do not send money, gift cards, or personal information.
  2. Do not deposit any check from a new employer you have not verified.
  3. Save the messages in case you decide to report them.
  4. Report it to the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov (opens in a new tab). You can also report fake listings to the job site where you saw them.
  5. If you already sent money or information, contact your bank or payment service right away and change any passwords you shared.

Being targeted by a scam is not a sign that you did anything wrong. Scammers are skilled and contact people of every age and background.

For a fuller guide, read how to spot fake job listings and how to avoid work-from-home scams. The FTC's job scams page (opens in a new tab) also has helpful advice.

Frequently asked questions

Are work-from-home jobs usually scams?

No. Many legitimate employers hire remote workers. But scammers often use work-from-home offers because they sound appealing and are harder to check in person. Verify the employer independently, and be extra careful if a remote job asks for money, skips the interview, or sends a check before you start.

A recruiter contacted me on a messaging app. Is that a scam?

Not always, but it is a common scam pattern. Be especially careful if the recruiter offers a job right away, interviews you only by text, or asks for payment or personal financial details. Ask for their full name and company, then confirm through the company's official website or phone number.

I sent money to a job scammer. What should I do?

Act quickly. Contact the company you used to send the money, such as your bank, a wire service, or a gift card company, and ask if they can stop or reverse it. Change any passwords you shared. Report the scam to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

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Sources

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