Job scams are on the rise, last year up 76% year to year.
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Last year, the Federal Trade Commission said $367 million was lost in job opportunity scams. That's a median loss of $2,000.
Many times, the scammers post on legitimate websites.
So how can you get a job and not lose money? Here are some job scam red flags:
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- Hiring managers reaching out with emails from Yahoo, Gmail, Hotmail, etc. instead of their business' domain name.
- Spoofed lookalike websites with job postings.
- No one asks for your banking information through email and during the hiring process.
- Promises about the position that seems too good to be true.
- The guaranteed salary is more than expected.
- They say you can work from home.
- They ask for money for supplies, phones, or computers.
- The job asks you to pay for certification or classes
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7 On Your Side's Nina Pineda said never pay money to make money.
How to spot job scam red flags
Lastly, we've seen plenty of stories where fake employers will try to hire you as a secret shopper. They'll pay you with what looks like a real check. It's fake. What happens is you cash the check and send the scammers the money. You can kiss that money goodbye.
If you think you've been pitched a fake job or got scammed, the best thing to do is report it to the FTC.
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