Here’s What I Learned After Encountering a Job Scam
Mass layoffs are becoming common, especially in the tech and media industries. So far in 2025, companies like Meta, Microsoft, Amazon, Workday and Salesforce have cut thousands of roles. Publications like The Washington Post, Vox Media and HuffPost significantly reduced their headcounts. As a result, more and more people are scouring the internet for new jobs. That also means you’re more likely to encounter a job scam.
Even the most savvy job seekers risk falling prey to a job scam — especially if they desperately need a new role. As the recent target of a job scam, I looked into this worrying trend, hoping to help others recognize scams before it’s too late. Here’s what I found.
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Job Scam Statistics
Scammers have always been around, but job scams have become more widespread over the last few years. According to the Better Business Bureau’s (BBB) Employment Scams Report, the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) received 16,879 complaints about job scams in 2020. That was a 16.5% increase from 2019. Those complaints resulted in losses of $62,314,015 in 2020 — up a massive 46% from the previous year. This was likely due to an increase in the number of job seekers after COVID-19 restrictions shuttered thousands of businesses.
More recently, the Identity Theft Resource Center’s (ITRC) 2023 Trends on Identity Report reported job scams increased by 118% in 2023, with most scams carried out via job search websites and LinkedIn. Thanks to the rise of generative AI, fake job listings sound more legitimate now. In the past, job scammers often used stilted language and poor grammar. With access to tools like ChatGPT, they can create real-sounding job listings to make scamming job seekers easier.
My Job Scam Experience
As a freelancer, I frequently apply for contract roles. I keep track of my applications as best I can. However, it’s feasible that I could forget I applied for a specific role because of the sheer volume of applications I’m putting out there.
So, when I received an email from an HR manager at a Texas high school about a proofreader position, I figured I had applied and forgotten about it. The email thanked me for applying and praised my qualifications and experience before asking me to confirm my interest and availability for the role.
Because I had no memory of applying for the role, I replied and asked if they could share more information. The HR manager sent back a very generic job description. The required qualifications included “strong skills in spelling, grammar, and proofreading” and “attention to detail and accuracy in work.” These skills are necessary for any proofreader, but the job description didn’t mention anything about previous experience, education, or anything specific.
I saw the salary range was $75,000 to $105,000, and the school offered a $2,500 sign-on bonus. Sounds like easy money, right? By now, I was sure this was a scam, but I was curious enough to reply and express my interest to see where this would go.
From there, I completed an emailed “screening questionnaire” rather than being interviewed. The next day, I was told that the job was mine and was asked to provide my contact information for the “employment letter.” I replied with a list of questions about the scope of the job and the pay rate and was met with silence. Surprise!
After going through this process, I researched the biggest red flags to look for when searching for a job — and they confirmed my suspicions about my own experience.
How to Identify a Job Scam
Most savvy job seekers will swear they’ll never get tricked by a job scammer, but these criminals are getting smarter. Here’s how to identify a job scam when searching for a new role.
Vague Job Description
If a job is legitimate, it should include a detailed description of the required qualifications and experience and a list of your responsibilities if hired.
The job description I received was extremely vague and generic. It didn’t mention whether there were any qualifications or credentials required, nor did it go into detail about what the job would entail. Instead, it included “key responsibilities” like “proofread content” and “meet deadlines.” Anyone could qualify for this role, whether fresh out of high school or with a decade of experience.
Generic Email Address
Job scammers often email you from a Google or Yahoo email rather than a company address. A legitimate recruiter will always use a company email address rather than a generic email. However, that’s not always the case. Look out for anything suspicious in the email address; some scammers use “domain spoofing” to make it look like they’re employed by the company they are pretending to represent.
My job scammer’s email address appeared legitimate, as the email domain matched the school’s website domain, and the scammer’s name matched the HR rep’s name listed on the website. However, because I was already suspicious of the job, I dug deeper and found that the email address I’d been communicating with was slightly different from the one listed on the school website. I was emailing [email protected], but the address listed for this employee was [email protected]. It’s a subtle difference, but a difference nonetheless.
Excessively High Pay Range
When applying for jobs, you have a general idea of the salary range you can expect for your experience level. If the salary on a job listing seems too good to be true, it could be a scam. That’s not to say that all high-paying roles are scams, but it’s a definite red flag if the salary seems high for the responsibilities.
The job I was contacted about listed a salary range of $75,000 to $105,000 for a proofreader with basic skills and no education or experience requirements. Also, this job was supposedly at a high school. Why would they pay a contract proofreader more than most teachers make? And why list a salary range for a freelance position when most freelancers are paid per hour, per project, or per word?
When I asked for clarification, the HR manager said I would be paid $95,000 but also said, “We can discuss the specific rates during the onboarding process.” Which one is it?
No Formal Interview
Most job interviews occur in person or over a video conferencing platform like Zoom or Google Meet. And, there are often several interviews — first with the recruiter, then with the hiring manager, and often with the team you’d be joining. The hiring process can be long and complex (sometimes too long and complex).
So, if your interview experience seems too easy or you’re offered a job immediately after the interview, it could be a scam.
Additionally, for fake jobs, you’ll probably have your “interview” over email, text message or a platform like Telegram or WhatsApp. In my case, my “interview” took place over email. The recruiter sent me a list of questions that seemed applicable to the position, and I answered them and sent them back, expecting them to schedule a formal interview. But, no! That questionnaire was my only “interview” before being offered the job.
Requests For Personal Information
One of the hallmarks of a job scam is asking for personally identifiable information, like your Social Security number or bank account details. Some scammers might ask for this information early in the process, while others might work hard to earn your trust before going in for the kill. A legitimate employer will not need this information until you’re officially offered the job and go through the onboarding process.
My job scammer was careful not to raise my hackles by asking for this. Even after offering me the job, they only asked for my full name, address and phone number. However, if I had gone further with the process, I’m confident they would have required my SSN to properly “onboard” me. As tempted as I was to go along with the charade so I could learn their end game, I tapped out before they could ask for my personal information.
Requests for Money
If a potential employer asks you for money, run far away. No legitimate employer will require you to send them money to pay for training, equipment or any other job-related needs. But this is often how job scams make their money.
There are several ways scammers might ask for money. They might require you to wire them money as a “screening fee” or send them payment for work equipment. In exchange, they might promise to reimburse you with your first paycheck — but, surprise! They won’t.
Other times, a scam employer will send a check for you to deposit, then tell you they overpaid and ask you to return some of the money. Once you’ve returned some of the money, the check will bounce. I’m sure this is how my scammer would have made money from me because that $2,500 sign-on bonus was very suspicious.
Stay Safe While Job Searching
Searching for a job is stressful — but falling victim to a job scam makes a trying situation even worse. Knowing how to recognize job scams is the best defense, so keep your guard up and remember: if it sounds too good to be true, it likely is.
Catherine Hiles is a Certified Financial Education Instructor and freelance writer specializing in personal finance and home improvement. She lives in Ohio with her husband, two children and two energetic dogs.
