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Job opportunity scams come in all different shapes and sizes, although they commonly involve working from home. They focus on those in desperate need of work and suffering because of the cost-of-living crisis.
Like most scams, job scams often appear to be too good an opportunity to pass up. They offer a higher hourly rate than most typical jobs – frequently without commuting to an office. They offer flexible hours, often with simple data entry jobs – ideal for somebody with a full-time job or stay-at-home parents and carers.
These “jobs” are little more than cons, designed to steal the money, time and personal details from those who fall victim. Criminals use job opportunity scams to obtain personal and bank account details, which they use to target victims and commit identity theft.
Do a background check and look for more information about the company you are interested in. You can use platforms like Glassdoor to see what employees and past interviewees thought of the company.
If you have any doubt whatsoever, you should message the company directly. Use the email address or phone number on their website rather than the contact on the job listing.
Any job that asks you to send money upfront is a scam. This includes any job that tells you to order equipment or training material that they will reimburse – even if they send a cheque to you first.
When applying for a job, it is normal to give your email address. However, be careful of any “opportunity” that asks for too much information. Especially if they ask for your banking details.
Is the job offer only available for a limited time? Scammers create fake deadlines and cut-off dates to pressure victims into acting quickly and without time to think things through.
Fraudsters may use legitimate job platforms like Indeed, LinkedIn, Reed, or Total Jobs to target and exploit those needing work. They may post jobs for fake companies or create fraudulent job listings for real companies to entice victims.
Scammers may try to trick you into giving them personal and financial information. They may also claim victims must purchase training materials or equipment before starting. Be cautious of these tactics and always verify the legitimacy of any requests for information or purchases. For more information on the latter, see advance-fee job scams below.
Remote work scams come in a range of shapes and sizes. Some force the victim to purchase equipment or training materials up-front (see advanced-fee job scams below). Others exploit workers and get them to complete arbitrary tasks or “missions” for a promised reward that never comes (see reshipping and task scams below).
Fraudsters often target part-time job seekers with opportunities that they can do from home while caring for a family member or child. They may even target those struggling with the cost of living and looking for work to supplement their existing income.
Like Indeed scams, WhatsApp scams and Telegram scams involve fake opportunities offered via a messaging app. Scammers may claim to be recruiting for a legitimate company and promise simple jobs with high pay in exchange for personal information, bank account details or an advanced fee.
Some job scams may appear to be completely genuine. The job may even appear to be with a well-known and legitimate company.
Once offered the job, the victim is told they need to purchase specialist equipment or training materials before they can start. They may be given a cheque to cover the cost, however, the cheque is also fake, and the victim is left to foot the bill.
In a reshipping job scam, scammers offer victims work to receive packages and then re-ship them to another location.
The packages are often either purchased using fake or stolen credit cards or contain illegal goods. Once the victim has served their purpose, the scammer disappears, leaving the victim without payment.
In a task scam (sometimes called a “mission scam”) fraudsters claim to offer victims good money for reviewing products on e-commerce platforms or completing surveys. The catch? Profitable tasks are locked by a paywall and require an up-front deposit.
In a task scam, fraudsters begin by making promises to victims. They allow victims to withdraw their initial deposit and earnings. After gaining the victim’s trust and receiving a significant deposit, the scam platform then closes the trap and steals the money.
A pyramid job scam is a scheme where victims are promised more money depending on how many recruits they bring into the scheme. The “job” may be selling online courses, selling physical products like energy drinks, make-up, or health supplements.
Pyramid jobs are a con, designed to benefit the people (the scammers) at the top of the ladder. When the pyramid scheme inevitably crumbles, the people at the bottom are left empty-handed.
Job opportunity scams are common on dedicated job sites like Indeed, LinkedIn, Reed, or Total Jobs, but they may also be advertised on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram or even Twitter.
Scammers may create fake job listings and then wait for potential victims to fall into their laps, or they may send direct messages using social media platforms offering too-good-to-miss opportunities.
If an opportunity sounds too good to be true, it almost certainly is. Avoid strangers offering unsolicited job opportunities and always do your research to make sure the person you are speaking, and the company they claim to represent, are legitimate.
Online scammers exploit the popularity of cryptocurrencies to steal money
Scammers often pose as banks, the police, government, or other trusted organisations
Fraudsters offer fake investment opportunities with promises of high returns
Criminals dupe victims into paying upfront for goods or services.
Online scammers exploit emotions, tricking victims into sending money
Victims unwittingly authorise payments, deceived by fake sellers in purchase scams
Individuals or businesses pay fake invoices, inadvertently sending funds to the scammer
Scammers offer work-from-home opportunities with up-front costs and withdrawal fees
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