Scammers advertise jobs the same way legitimate employers do —
online (in ads, on job sites, and social media), in
newspapers, and sometimes on TV and radio. They promise you a
job, but what they want is your money and your personal
information. Here are some examples of jobs scams and tips to
help you avoid them.
Examples of Job Scams
Work-from-home job scams
Many people would like to work from home and generate income.
Scammers know this, so they place ads, often online, claiming
that they have jobs where you can make thousands of dollars a
month working from home with little time and effort. The job
could be anything from reshipping products to selling things
to people you know. Sometimes the scammers try to get you
interested by saying that you can be your own boss, start your
own business, or set your own schedule.
But instead of making money, you end up paying for starter
kits, “training,” or certifications that are useless. You
might also find that your credit card is charged without your
permission, or you get caught up in a fake check scam. If
someone offers you a job and they claim that you can make a
lot of money in a short period of time and with little work,
that’s a scam.
Here are some examples of work-from-home job scams:
Reshipping scams.
If you’re searching for a job online, you might see positions
advertised for quality control managers or virtual personal
assistants that have been placed by scammers. But here’s how
you can tell it’s a scam: once you’re “hired,” the company
says that your “job” is to receive packages at home, discard
the original packaging and receipts, repackage the products,
and then reship them to an address they give you.
Sometimes the address is overseas. The products are often
high-priced goods, like name-brand electronics, bought using
stolen credit cards. Reshipping goods is never a real job.
That’s simply being part of a scam. Sometimes the company
tells you it will send your first paycheck after you work for
a month, but the paycheck never arrives. And when you try to
contact the company, you’ll find that the phone number is no
longer connected and the website is deactivated. This “job” is
a scam, and if you gave your personal information thinking it
was for payroll, you may now have an identity theft problem.
Reselling merchandise scams:
In this scam, you may get a call out of the blue from a
stranger offering you a job opportunity. Or you may see an ad
online or in your local newspaper. In either case, they say
that you can make money buying brand-name luxury products for
less than retail prices, then selling those products for a
profit. But after you pay for the products, the package never
arrives or, if it does, it’s full of junk.
Nanny, caregiver, and virtual personal assistant job scams:
Scammers post fake job ads for nannies, caregivers, and
virtual assistants on job sites. Or they may send emails that
look like they’re from someone in your community, or who is
part of an organization you know, like your college or
university. If you apply, the person who hires you might send
you a check. They’ll tell you to keep part of the money for
your services and then send the rest to someone else. That is
a scam. A legitimate employer will never ask you to do that.
What happens next is that the check is fake. It can take weeks
for a bank to discover this, but once they do, the bank will
want you to repay that full amount. So: if you get an offer
that includes depositing a check and then using some of the
money for any reason, that’s a scam. Walk away.
Mystery shopper scams
Getting paid to shop sounds like a dream job — especially if
you’re going to school full-time or looking for a side job.
But while some mystery shopping jobs are legitimate, many are
scams. Legitimate mystery shopping companies won’t ask you to
pay for certifications, directories of jobs, or job
guarantees. If someone asks you to pay to get a job, that’s a
scam. And if they want you to deposit a check and send money
back, stop. That’s a sign of a fake check scam. Read Mystery
Shopper Scams to learn more.
Job placement service scams
While many staffing agencies, temporary agencies, headhunters,
and other placement firms are legitimate, others lie about
what they will do for you, promote outdated or fake job
openings, and charge fees for so-called services. Legitimate
placement firms do not typically charge a fee. Instead, the
hiring company pays them a fee to find qualified candidates.
If a placement firm asks you for a fee, walk away. You could
be dealing with a scam.
Government and postal jobs scams
You respond to an ad that promises jobs with the federal
government or postal service. But then you have to pay a fee
to get the job, or pay for study materials so you’ll get a
high score on the postal exam. Those are scams. Information
about job openings with the federal government or U.S. Postal
Service is free and available to everyone. And it’s free to
apply for a federal or postal job. Find and apply for a job
with the federal government at USAJobs.gov, or visit
usps.com/employment to find jobs with the U.S. Postal
Service.
How to Avoid a Job Scam
Before you accept a job offer, and certainly before you pay
for one, take these steps to protect yourself from job scams:
Do an online search. Look up the name of the company or the
person who’s hiring you, plus the words “scam,” “review,” or
“complaint.” You might find out they’ve scammed other people.
Talk to someone you trust. Describe the offer to them. What do
they think? This also helps give you vital time to think about
the offer.
Don't pay for the promise of a job. Legitimate employers,
including the federal government, will never ask you to pay to
get a job. Anyone who does is a scammer.
Never bank on a “cleared” check. No legitimate potential
employer will ever send you a check and then tell you to send
on part of the money, or buy gift cards with it. That’s a fake
check scam. The check will bounce, and the bank will want you
to repay the amount of the fake check.
Tips for Finding a Job
When you’re searching for a job, use safe and reliable
sources. Here are a few places to start: USAJobs.gov — This is
the federal government’s official site with job openings
nationwide. CareerOneStop — Sponsored by the U.S. Department
of Labor, CareerOneStop lists hundreds of thousands of jobs.
It also links to employment and training programs in each
state. USA.gov — Find local government websites, which list
any open positions they may have on their websites. Also, when
you’re applying for a job, an employer may do a background
check. Read Background Checks to learn more.