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Job Offer Scams

4 minute read

Too-good-to-be-true work-from-home offers.

How It Works

Type 1: Fake check scam

  1. You apply for an attractive job (often remote, good pay)
  2. You’re “hired” quickly with minimal or no interview
  3. They send a check for “equipment” or “initial expenses”
  4. They ask you to deposit it and send part back (or buy gift cards)
  5. The check bounces days later—you’re out the money you sent

Type 2: Information harvesting

  1. Fake job posting collects personal information
  2. Application asks for SSN, bank info, ID copies
  3. Info is used for identity theft
  4. There is no real job

Type 3: Reshipping scam

  1. You’re hired to receive packages at home and forward them
  2. The packages contain goods bought with stolen credit cards
  3. You’re now participating in money laundering
  4. You can face criminal charges

What It Looks Like

Too-good job postings:

Work from home, $50/hour! No experience needed!

Make $5,000/week as a mystery shopper!

Personal assistant needed—flexible hours, great pay!

Hiring immediately—start earning tomorrow!

Red flag interview process:

  • “Hired” after a text chat or short email exchange
  • No video call, no phone interview
  • No verification of your background or skills
  • Very quick from application to “offer”

Red Flags

  • Pay seems too good for the work described
  • Vague job description
  • Hired very quickly with little evaluation
  • Interview only via text or messaging app
  • Asked to receive and forward packages
  • Asked to receive and transfer money
  • Asked to pay upfront for training, equipment, or background check
  • Company website is new or doesn’t exist
  • Communication only through personal email (gmail, yahoo) not company domain
  • Can’t verify the company or find employees on LinkedIn

Common Fake Job Types

  • Mystery shopper: “Evaluate stores and keep the merchandise!”
  • Personal assistant: “Run errands, manage schedule—work from home!”
  • Warehouse coordinator: “Receive packages at home and forward them”
  • Payment processor: “Process payments from our customers”
  • Data entry: “Easy work, just a few hours a day, high pay”

These can be real jobs—but the scam versions have unrealistic pay and suspicious processes.

How to Protect Yourself

Research the company

  • Does it have a real website with history?
  • Can you find real employees on LinkedIn?
  • Search “[company name] scam” or “[company name] reviews”

Never pay for a job

  • Legitimate employers don’t charge for training or equipment
  • Don’t pay for “background checks”—employers pay for those

Never accept checks to forward money

  • This is always a scam, no exceptions
  • The check will bounce and you’ll owe the bank

Be wary of “reshipping”

  • Receiving and forwarding packages = laundering stolen goods
  • You can face criminal charges

Verify before sharing personal info

  • Don’t give SSN until you have a legitimate, verified job offer
  • Don’t share bank info “for direct deposit” before starting
  • Real companies verify employment before collecting sensitive data

If You’ve Been Scammed

If you deposited a check:

  1. Contact your bank immediately
  2. Explain it was a scam
  3. You may still owe the money if it already bounced

If you gave personal information:

  1. Freeze your credit: Equifax, Experian, TransUnion
  2. Monitor your accounts for suspicious activity

If you received/forwarded packages:

  1. Stop immediately
  2. Consider consulting a lawyer
  3. Report to police and FTC

Full steps: I think I was scammed →