Who: The FTC tracks job and employment scams.
When to use: Use when a "employer" asked for money or stole your info.
What to prepare:
- Job posting or contact
- What they asked for
- Amount lost if any
Go to FTC ReportFraud~5 min
Category: Employment & opportunity
Job & employment scams
Most reportedImportant
Legitimate employers do not ask you to pay for training, equipment, or "fees" to start a job. Never wire part of a "paycheck" to a "vendor."
How it often plays out
Nina is hired for a “remote data entry” job. The “employer” sends a check to buy equipment and asks her to wire the difference to a “vendor.” She does; the check bounces. She’s out the wired amount and her bank may hold her liable. Real employers do not send you a check and ask you to send part of it elsewhere—that’s a classic fake-check scam. Other variants: mystery shopper scams, business directory or yellow-pages listing scams, fake invoices or vendor bills, fake franchise or business opportunity offers, and MLM schemes disguised as jobs with heavy "sign-up" fees.
How to spot it
- Jobs that require you to pay for equipment, training, or a "listing" before you earn.
- Mystery shopper or "evaluate our transfer system" offers that involve moving money.
- Invoices or "vendor" payments you did not authorize, or MLM pitches with large upfront fees.
Do's and don'ts
Do
- Research the company and contact them through official channels (not only the email in the ad).
- Verify the employer before sending personal documents.
- Report to the FTC and, if you lost money, to IC3.
Don't
- Pay for "training," "equipment," or "fees" to start a job.
- Wire or send part of a "paycheck" or check to a "vendor."
- Send personal documents to an unverified employer.
Summary & what to do
Fake job postings or "employers" ask for money for training, equipment, or "taxes," or steal your personal information. This includes mystery shopper schemes, business directory scams, fake invoices, fake franchises, and MLM-style sign-up fees. Legitimate employers do not ask you to pay to get the job.
What to do right now
- Do not pay for "training," "equipment," or "fees" to start a job. Do not send personal documents unless you have verified the employer.
- Research the company and contact them through official channels (not the email in the ad).
- Report to the FTC and, if you lost money, to IC3.
Where to report
Who: The FBI's IC3 handles internet-related job fraud.
When to use: Use when the scam was online and you lost money or identity.
What to prepare:
- Website or email
- What happened
Go to IC3~10 min
Frequently asked questions
- They sent me a check and asked me to wire part of it. Is that a scam?
- Yes. The check will bounce. Real employers do not send you a check and ask you to send part of it elsewhere. Report to the FTC and your bank.
- How can I tell if a job posting is real?
- Search the company name and contact them through official channels (website, phone from their site)—not only the email in the ad. Be wary of jobs that require payment or moving money.