Scammers often use remote job ads to trick people. They send fake job offers or ask for personal info. You might think, “This could be real.” But many of those invitations are actually employment scams. Knowing how these scams work protects your money and your identity.

Why Employment Scams Have Grown

These scams popped up after remote work became more common during COVID, and have continued to increase as more of us picked up gigs and side-hustles. Scammers promise easy money. They offer “jobs” where you might only need to type, click, or reship packages. Then they ask you to pay for training, equipment, or supplies. Sometimes they send a fake check and tell you to return some of the money. This is an employment scam. They prey on hope: hope for work, for quick cash, for a fresh start.

What Scammers Want

An employment scam isn’t about stealing a few hours of your labor during an “internship” or claiming authorship of your writing or artwork portfolio. Scammers have a lot more in mind.

  • Money right away – They push for upfront fees, fake training costs, or tell you to send part of a check back.
  • Bank access – With your account info on file for “direct deposit,” they can drain funds or set up withdrawals.
  • Identity details – A Social Security number, birth date, and address can be used to open credit cards, take out loans, or file false tax returns.
  • Personal connections – If they get into your email or contacts, they might target your friends and family with more scams.

Understanding what they want makes it easier to spot the trap before it closes.

Common Scam Types to Watch

1. Training or Equipment Fees

 You’re told you need to pay for training materials or buy special equipment before you can start work. The scammer promises you’ll be reimbursed, but that never happens. Real employers provide these items or clearly deduct costs after you’re officially hired.

2. Fake Check Scam

Scammers send a check that looks real, claiming it’s an advance on your first project to cover these extra expenses. They tell you to deposit it and send part of the money to their vendor. When the check bounces, the bank takes the funds from your account, leaving you with the loss.

3. Reshipping or Parcel Mule Jobs

These scams offer payment for receiving packages and sending them to another address, often overseas. The goods are usually bought with stolen cards, and your name is linked to the shipping records. This can lead to legal trouble and financial loss.

4. Task or Crypto “Jobs”

You’re offered simple online tasks like clicking ads or reviewing products, with payment promised in cryptocurrency. The scam starts with a “small deposit” you must send to unlock the work. Once they have your money, they vanish without paying you.

5. Fake Recruiters and Phony Offers

You get an email or message that looks like it’s from a big company. It has a matching logo and fancy words. They ask for your personal details, then request your bank account information “to set up direct deposit.” Once they have that access, they can take your money instead of paying you. Real recruiters don’t ask for money or unrestricted access to your accounts.

Signs of an Employment Scam

  • Asking for money before any work starts.
  • Sending you a check and telling you to send back funds.
  • Offering only chat interviews, via Telegram, WhatsApp, or text.
  • Using odd email domains or spelling a company name wrong.
  • Moving you off the hiring site too quickly.
  • Urging you to act under pressure.

What’s Real Versus Fake

You might wonder: is this job legit? Ask these questions.

  • Do they ask you to pay for equipment or training before you’ve been officially hired? Real employers cover those costs or deduct them after you start.
  • Did they send you a check before you began any work and ask you to send part of it back? Real companies don’t operate that way.
  • Did they offer a position that involves receiving and reshipping packages to other addresses? Legitimate jobs don’t require this and it’s often illegal.
  • Did they tell you to make a payment in cryptocurrency to unlock work or receive pay? Real employers don’t use crypto this way.
  • Did they ask for your bank account details before you were officially hired and completed secure onboarding? Real companies wait until after you’ve completed that process.

How to Check a Job Offer

  1. Search the company’s official site and call HR using their site, not links you got in an email.
  2. Check their info on the Better Business Bureau site or look for business reviews.
  3. Don’t give your Social Security number, bank account, or other info until you get a real written offer and complete safe onboarding.
  4. Ask a trusted friend or family member to look at it with you.

What to Do If You already gave away information or paid

Call the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and file a report with IC3.gov. If you shared your bank account or sent payment, talk to your bank. They may help stop the money or monitor your account for fraud. 1st Source clients can report suspected fraud here.

If your identity might be stolen, consider placing a free fraud alert or freeze on your credit. This slows down scammers. It helps protect you while you fix the damage.

A Quick Safety Checklist

 

Watch For What to Do
Asked to pay upfront Say no and walk away
A check arrives before any work began Don’t deposit it
Job involves receiving and reshipping packages It’s a scam
They demand info like SSN before offer Stop and verify
Any urgent pressure to act fast Pause and check the offer thoroughly

 

Final Thought

Employment scams use tricks and your trust. Scammers count on your hope for a job. Don’t let that job offer cost you more than you earn. Trust what seems too good. Do your homework. And play it safe—especially with anything that asks for money upfront or personal details.