Picture a text that lands on a Tuesday afternoon: “Hi, we found your resume. Part-time, work from home, $200 to $400 a day. Interested?” No company name, no job title, no link to a real posting. Just a number and a friendly tone.
That message is the front door to one of the fastest-growing kinds of fraud in the country. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) said in December 2024 that reports of “task scams,” a type of online job scam, rose from essentially zero in 2020 to about 5,000 in 2023 and then to about 20,000 in the first half of 2024 alone. This guide walks through the warning signs, the scams that are hardest to spot, a ten-minute verification routine and what to do if you have already shared something.
Key takeaways
- A real employer does not charge you to be hired, and it does not need your bank login or Social Security number before an offer.
- A check that arrives before you have worked a day, with instructions to send some of it onward, is a scam even if your bank says the funds “cleared.”
- Verify the company yourself, using a website and phone number you found independently, not the ones in the message.
- If you are caught, act the same day and report to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
Why job seekers are such good targets
Job scams work because the victim wants something real: income, stability, a way out of a rough stretch. Job seekers also behave in ways that help scammers. You apply widely, answer quickly, upload your resume to many sites and expect to hand over personal details at some point.
The numbers are hard to pin down, because many people never report. Still, the FTC says overall reported losses to job scams tripled between 2020 and 2023 and passed $220 million in the first six months of 2024. Task scams made up nearly 40 percent of job scam reports in 2024. Cryptocurrency losses tied to job scams reached $41 million in the first half of that year, nearly double the total for all of 2023.
Scammers usually want one of three things:
- Your money. Through fees, “equipment” purchases, deposits or fake checks.
- Your information. A Social Security number, bank details or a photo of your driver’s license can be used to open accounts or file false tax returns.
- Your help. Some “jobs” turn you into a go-between who receives packages or moves money for someone else.
The ten red flags
Treat each of these as a reason to stop and check, not as proof on its own. Two or three together should end the conversation.
1. You are asked to pay. Application fees, training fees, certification fees, “starter kits,” job directories and placement guarantees are all pay-to-play. The FTC says honest employers do not charge applicants, and legitimate placement firms are typically paid by the hiring company.
2. A check arrives before the work does. More on this below, because it is the most expensive trap.
3. Sensitive details are requested too early. An application needs your resume and contact information. Bank account numbers, a Social Security number and ID photos belong in onboarding paperwork after you have accepted a real offer.
4. The pay does not match the work. The FTC calls an offer of big pay for little effort “almost certainly a scam.” Compare the pay with what similar roles list on CareerOneStop or the Bureau of Labor Statistics site.
5. The “interview” happens in a chat app. Better Business Bureau (BBB) guidance lists text-only interviews and a reluctance to get on video among its red flags. Some real employers text to schedule a call. A text thread that replaces the call is different.
6. The sender’s email does not fit. A company recruiter writing from a free email account, or from a domain that is one letter off from the real one, deserves a second look.
7. You are rushed. Pressure to fill out forms immediately or lose the job is a classic move. Scammers need you to act before you check.
8. The details are thin. If no one can tell you the manager’s name, the work location, the hours or what the company sells, that is information.
9. The job is not on the employer’s own site. If you search for the company yourself and its careers page has no such opening, ask why.
10. The job involves moving money or goods. Receiving payments, “inspecting” packages and forwarding them, or returning an “overpayment” are classic signs of reshipping and overpayment schemes. The BBB notes that legitimate employers typically pay after work is done.
The fake check, step by step
This scam is worth slowing down, because it feels so real. Say you are “hired” for a remote administrative job after a short chat. A few days later a check arrives, or a mobile deposit is requested, for $4,000. You are told it covers a laptop and software from a “preferred vendor,” and that you should send part of it to that vendor.
You deposit it. Your bank shows the money in your account within a day or two. You send the payment. A week or two later the check is flagged as fraudulent, the deposit is reversed and you owe your bank the full amount, plus whatever you sent.
The key fact is that a deposit appearing in your account is not the same as the check being good. The FTC warns not to rely on a check being “cleared,” because banks can reverse deposits later and you may have to repay everything.
The one-sentence rule
No legitimate employer sends you a check and then asks you to send money to someone else, buy gift cards or keep a “cut” and return the rest. If that happens, stop. Do not spend or send any of it, and tell your bank.
Task scams: the newer playbook
Task scams do not look like a typical job. According to the FTC, they usually begin with an unsolicited text or WhatsApp message about easy online work. You are given simple assignments, such as boosting an app’s ratings, “optimizing” products or liking videos. Early on, you may even receive a small payout, which builds trust.
Then the pattern flips. To keep earning, or to “unlock” a bigger payout, you are told to deposit your own money, often in cryptocurrency. The balance on the screen looks like it is growing. The money you deposit does not come back.
Warning signs specific to this scam:
- The first contact is a message you did not ask for.
- The work is repetitive, requires no skill and pays far above market rates.
- You are paid for liking, rating or reviewing content. The FTC says this is illegal and legitimate companies do not do it.
- You are asked to fund your account to continue.
- A “mentor” or group chat pushes you along and shows other people apparently getting paid.
Never send money to someone who promises you pay or a job. The FTC calls that a sure sign of a scam.
Scams that sound professional
Not every scam is sloppy. Some borrow the vocabulary of real hiring: a detailed job description, a polished recruiter profile, a video “orientation.” The giveaway is usually in the process, not the posting.
| Scam type | What it looks like | What gives it away |
|---|---|---|
| Fake check | Quick hire, then a check for “equipment” | You are told to send part of it elsewhere |
| Reshipping | “Logistics assistant” working from home | You receive and forward packages from your own address |
| Task scam | Easy online assignments, small early payouts | You must deposit your own money to continue |
| Fake recruiter | Contact from a “big name” company on a chat app | The recruiter pushes you off official channels |
| Pay-to-be-hired | Training, certification or placement fee | Money goes out before any paycheck comes in |
| Fake onboarding | Link to a portal asking for ID and bank details | The request comes before any verified offer |
| Government job fee | Ad promising a federal or postal job for a fee | The FTC says applying for those jobs is always free |
A ten-minute verification routine
Before you share anything beyond your resume, spend ten minutes on these steps.
- Find the employer yourself. Search for the company’s official website. Do not click the link in the message.
- Look for the job. Check the careers page. If it is missing, contact the company through a number or form you found independently and ask whether the role and the recruiter are real.
- Look up the person. Confirm that the recruiter works there. The BBB suggests verifying the contact through details listed on the company’s official site.
- Check the domain. Compare the sender’s email domain with the company’s actual one, letter by letter.
- Search for complaints. The FTC suggests searching the company or person’s name with words like “scam,” “review” or “complaint.”
- Talk to someone you trust. The FTC points out that this also buys you time, which helps against pressure tactics.
- Ask for a live conversation. A call or video chat with a named person is a reasonable request. A real hiring manager will usually agree. For tips on that stage, see our guide to virtual interview setup and etiquette.
If a recruiter reaches out cold
“Thanks for getting in touch. Before we go further, could you send me the job posting link on your company’s careers page and your work email address? I’d also like to set up a video call with the hiring manager. I don’t share personal or banking details until I have a written offer and have verified the company.”
A real recruiter will answer this in a day or so. A scammer often vanishes, pushes back or gets annoyed.
What a real hiring process looks like
Knowing the normal path makes the odd ones stand out. Here is the usual order of things.
| Stage | Normal | Suspicious |
|---|---|---|
| Application | Resume, contact information, work history | Requests for ID, bank or Social Security numbers |
| Screening | Call or video with a named recruiter | Chat-only conversation, no names |
| Interview | One or more calls with the team | Instant offer, “interview” by text |
| Offer | Written offer with title, pay and start date | Vague offer, pressure to accept in hours |
| Onboarding | Tax and payroll forms through an official portal | Request to pay for equipment or training first |
| First paycheck | Pay arrives after you work | Money arrives before you work, with instructions |
If you want a broader look at employers worth being cautious about even when they are real, see our list of red flags in any job interview.
Safer habits while you search
You cannot control what scammers send, but you can shrink what they can do with it.
- Use a separate email address for job applications. If it starts getting odd messages, you will know.
- Keep home street address, date of birth and ID numbers off your resume and public profiles. City and state is enough. Our comparison of a LinkedIn profile versus a resume covers what belongs where.
- Be cautious about unsolicited messages from “recruiters.” Look the person up before you reply.
- Do not buy equipment, gift cards or software for a job before you have a verified start date and a written offer.
- Never accept money and send money onward.
- Log every application, contact and date. A simple spreadsheet tracker makes it obvious when a “recruiter” refers to a company you never applied to.
- Look for work on trusted sites. The FTC lists USAJobs.gov for federal jobs, CareerOneStop (run by the U.S. Department of Labor) and USA.gov for local government listings.
- Ask people you know for help. A real referral comes through a person you can reach and who can vouch for the company.
If you already shared something
First, do not blame yourself. These scams are designed by professionals, and careful people get caught. What matters is speed.
The FTC’s guidance on what to do after a scam depends on how you paid.
| What you sent | What to do right away |
|---|---|
| Credit card | Report it to your card issuer using the number on the card and ask for a refund |
| Wire transfer | Tell the wire company a scammer tricked you and ask for a reversal |
| Gift cards | Contact the card issuer, say you were scammed and ask for a refund. Keep the card and receipt |
| Cryptocurrency | Contact the exchange or ATM operator and report the fraud. Recovery is hard, since protections are weaker |
| A deposited check | Tell your bank before you spend or send anything |
If you gave out your Social Security number, the FTC says to go to IdentityTheft.gov. If it has been used, report it there and follow the recovery plan. If you are not sure, the site has steps for protecting yourself. If you gave away an account login, create a new strong password, change it anywhere else you used it and turn on two-factor authentication.
Then report. File a report at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. You can also contact your state attorney general, and report the listing or profile to the platform where you found it. Save the posting, messages, emails, receipts and screenshots first, since scammers delete accounts.
This is general information, not legal or financial advice. If you have lost a large amount or your identity was used, consider contacting your bank, a consumer protection agency or an attorney.
Common mistakes that keep people trapped
Stopping is allowed
You can pause any hiring process to verify it. A legitimate employer will understand a one-day delay. A scammer will not.
- Waiting for certainty. If the check looks real, the first payment is small and the recruiter is friendly, you may keep going out of politeness. Verify before the second step, not after.
- Trusting the logo. Logos, names and job descriptions are easy to copy. A real company name on a message does not mean the company sent it.
- Moving to another app because they asked. Moving off the platform removes the protections and reporting tools of the job board.
- Paying “just a little.” A small fee is a test of whether you will pay. Hold the line at zero.
- Staying quiet out of embarrassment. Scammers count on it. Tell your bank, report it and tell people close to you.
- Assuming “cleared” means safe. It does not, as the fake check example shows.
- Ignoring your own tracker. If a company says it received your application and you have no record of applying, ask where they got your information.
Helping others
If you spot a scam, you can protect other people. Report the listing to the job board or social site so it can be removed. Warn friends, family and anyone who is job hunting, especially students and people returning to work. If a fake posting uses a real company’s name, let that company know through its official contact page. It may be able to warn applicants.
The bottom line
Real hiring asks you for effort and information, not for money. When an offer is fast, rich and vague, or when someone asks you to pay, deposit or forward anything, slow down and check.
Your next steps:
- Save the FTC’s job scams page and ReportFraud.ftc.gov where you can find them.
- Set up a separate email address for applications.
- Write down your own verification routine and use it before you share anything sensitive.
- Tell one friend who is job hunting what a fake check looks like.
- If something already went wrong, contact your bank today and file a report.
