It looked like a dream job. It felt like a breakthrough. But for Myldwin Pierre, a seasoned creative eager to land a remote art director role, the real offer never came.
After multiple chat-based interviews with a “recruiter” from a Fortune 500 cosmetic brand, he completed what seemed like standard onboarding paperwork, including forms loaded with sensitive personal information. Then came the ask: pay upfront for a remote workstation via PayPal.
That’s when the red flag finally turned crimson.
“These scammers are like drug mules. They send hundreds of messages. A few of us fall for it—and that’s all they need,” Pierre told Creative Circle.
Unfortunately, his story isn’t unique. Job scams are exploding across the U.S., preying on eager job seekers with promises of easy paychecks and flexible hours—but often ending in stolen identities, financial ruin, and emotional distress.
Young adults, fresh graduates, and those seeking remote work are especially vulnerable, as scammers increasingly impersonate recruiters on familiar platforms like LinkedIn and Indeed. These fraudsters craft convincing messages, conduct sham interviews, and coax victims into sharing sensitive information or paying upfront for bogus training and equipment.
“It’s a way to steal your identity,” said Mary Bach of AARP Pennsylvania, per CBS News. “They ask for things like your Social Security number, your driver’s license number, under the guise of just a job application.”
Scammers targeting young adults and remote job seekers
According to the Better Business Bureau (BBB) 2024 risk report, employment scams were the second riskiest consumer scam in 2024, topping romance/friendship and online purchase scams.
In many cases, scammers send messages that sound legitimate. Once hooked, victims are asked to provide sensitive personal information or pay upfront for training or office equipment, sometimes through fake checks, drawing them into fraud.
“Little work, very flexible. Those are all things that I think a majority of people want,” said Cosme Ojeda, regional director at BBB Lubbock. “A lot of times they’ll say they’ll send you a check… and that wraps you into check fraud.”
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) also noted a rise in fraud complaints linked to fake job offers, many involving remote work scams. In 2024 alone, Americans reported over $450 million lost to job scams.
Red flags to watch out for
Here’s how to know when something’s not right:
- Too good to be true: Phrases like “make money in just 30 minutes a day” or “set your schedule.”
- Requests for personal info: This can include Social Security or bank information during the application phase.
- Upfront costs: Asking for payment for training, software, or equipment.
- Unprofessional contact methods: Offers that come through text, Gmail, or Yahoo, not company emails.
- Fake checks: Getting “paid” with a check, only to be asked to return some of it.
- No real interviews: Getting hired without any real screening process.
How to protect yourself
Experts offer these tips to stay safe:
- Do your homework: Search the company name, check the BBB, or look them up on LinkedIn. If the recruiter has no online presence, it’s a red flag.
- Use secure internet connections: The Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC) warns against uploading personal documents like resumes or IDs over public Wi-Fi.
- Check email addresses: Ensure the recruiter uses a company domain, not a free email service.
- Never send money: Legitimate companies will never ask you to pay for equipment or services upfront.
If you think you’ve been caught in a job scam, act quickly and report the scam to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov, file a report with the BBB at BBB.org/scamtracker, or get free help from the ITRC by calling 888.400.5530 or visiting www.idtheftcenter.org
The job market is tough, and scammers know it. If an offer feels too easy, too fast, or too generous, slow down, research, and verify it. If an offer seems too good to be true, it probably is.
