A real job may ask for ambition. It should not ask you to purchase gift cards for your new “boss” before lunch.

Job scams have become more polished because scammers can copy logos, imitate recruiters and build interviews that feel almost legitimate. FTC reports about job scams tripled from 2020 to 2024, while reported losses rose from $90 million to $501 million.

Pause when an employer contacts you unexpectedly through text, WhatsApp or Telegram; interviews only by chat; promises unusually high pay for simple work; sends a check for “equipment”; asks you to move money, buy cryptocurrency or complete paid “tasks”; or requests banking and identity details before you have verified the company.

Verification should happen outside the conversation. Find the company’s official website yourself. Call a published number—not the one in the message—and confirm the recruiter, opening and email domain. Search the recruiter’s name plus “scam” or “complaint.” A copied LinkedIn profile is not proof; it is décor.

Legitimate employers do not charge applicants to get hired. They also do not send a check and ask you to return part of it. The bank may show funds before discovering the check is fake, leaving you responsible for the money sent.

Excitement is allowed. Urgency is optional. A credible employer will survive one careful phone call.

Source: FTC guidance and job-scam loss data

Related reading: The Life Skills College Students Often Discover They Were Never Taught

This article provides general educational information and is not a substitute for individualized legal, medical, financial or safety advice.