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Job Scams Explained

Scammers might promise you a job, lots of money, or work you can do at home. What they really want is your money or personal information. Learn how to spot a job scam.

How do I know a job is a scam?

It can be hard to tell if a job is real or a scam.

Scammers post fake jobs in online ads, on social media, and even on job search websites. They sometimes make the ads look like they’re from real companies. They do this to try to get money or personal information from you.

But job scams have some things in common. Look for these signs of a job scam:

  • Scammers promise you a job but ask you to pay first. If someone asks you to pay to get a job, that’s a scam.
  • Scammers guarantee you’ll make lots of money. If someone claims you’ll make lots of money fast working just a few hours a day, that’s probably a scam. 
  • Scammers tell you to pay a certain way. They’ll often insist you can only pay with a gift card, cryptocurrency, a payment app, or a wire transfer service like Western Union or MoneyGram. Paying these ways is like using cash. Once you pay, it’s hard to get your money back.

How do I avoid a job scam?

  • Research the job first. Search online for the name of the company and words like “review” or “scam.” See if other people have had problems.
  • Never pay to get a job. Honest employers won’t ask you to pay to get a job. And they won’t send you a check and tell you to send some of the money back. That’s a scam. The check will end up being fake.
  • Talk to someone you trust. Tell them about the job offer. See what they think. 

Where do I look for a real job?

Start here:

  • USAJOBS — This is the federal government’s site with job openings nationwide.
  • CareerOneStop — This site is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor. It lists hundreds of thousands of jobs. It also links to employment and training programs in each state.

What if I sent money to a scammer?

Contact the company you used to send the money right away. Tell them it was a scam and ask if you can get your money back.

Read If You Were Scammed to learn more.

Then tell the Federal Trade Commission:

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