Job scams
Fake jobs are built to get your money or your identity. Most follow a few well-known patterns.
Sources: FTC, reported fraud losses in 2024; FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center, 2025 annual report; FTC testimony to the Joint Economic Committee, March 2026. Losses are what people reported; most fraud is never reported.
The patterns
Our check blocks a posting or message outright if it shows any of these.
- The interview moves to Telegram, WhatsApp or Signal. Real employers interview by phone or video call.
- They send you a check to buy equipment. The check bounces after you've spent your own money.
- You're asked to pay for training, a starter kit or a background check.
- They want your Social Security number or bank details before there's an offer.
- The recruiter writes from Gmail, Yahoo or Outlook instead of the company's domain.
- High pay for easy part-time work from home, often with tasks like rating products or “optimizing” apps.
If it happened to you
- Report it to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov and the FBI at ic3.gov.
- If you gave out your Social Security number, go to IdentityTheft.gov for a recovery plan.
- If you sent money or deposited a check, call your bank now. Fast action sometimes stops a transfer.
Check a posting before you apply
Paste a job link and we'll tell you whether it's live on the employer's own careers system, how long it's been open, and whether it shows scam signs. It's free.