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Fraudsters pretend to be employers searching for new hires. They try to lure you with a fantastic job opportunity with minimal effort. In turn, they ask for money and personal information, and act as if it's part of their application process. Learn how to detect job scams and protect yourself.
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What you need to know
- Keep your money and information safe. Don't share your details with anyone.
- Don't respond to calls, text messages or emails from unknown numbers. Also, don't open any links in a text message from numbers you don't recognize.
- Validate a job posting's legitimacy by checking the company's official website or by calling their publicly shared phone number.
What's a job scam?
In a job scam, fraudsters try to lure job seekers with fake career opportunities. They promise a high income for little effort. They may ask for your personal and banking information to use or launder money. If a job opportunity seems too good to be true, it probably is.
How job scams work
- A fraudster posts a fake job opportunity on job boards, such as Indeed and LinkedIn.
- The job opportunity often promises high income for little effort. These jobs are often disguised as work-from-home opportunities and require no credentials.
- You receive the job opportunity through an expedited hiring process, often without an application or interview.
- The employer asks for your personal and banking information and claim it's for hiring purposes. Then, they may use your personal bank account to launder money.
Warning signs of job scams
- The job posting has no contact information or job description
- You're asked to download a specific app to conduct the interview as opposed to a phone or video call
- The employer asks for payment for your training
- The employer asks you to pay for a credit report as part of their application process
- The employer asks you to buy gift cards, Bitcoin or other cryptocurrency
- You're asked for personal details, such as your Social Security Number (SSN), or banking information, such as your passwords, PINs and verification codes
- You receive an email that tells you the employer has reviewed your resume, when you didn't send it
- Be wary of mystery shopper positions or work-from-home jobs that may involve receiving and reshipping packages
- Never accept money on behalf of someone you don't know.
- Don't rush to accept a job opportunity. Be cautious of jobs that seem too good to be true.
- Check your bank statements regularly for any unknown transactions.
- Always protect your personal and banking information, such as your Social Security Number (SSN), credit card number and passwords.
- Research the company and the job opportunity. Find the company on the internet and review their online presence, including their social media. In a search engine, enter the company name and the word "scam" to see if the business is legitimate.
Learn more about job scams
