Reports of job scams and employment fraud to the FBI rose significantly last year, up nearly 30% from 2023. The FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center reported that consumers lost about $264 million to employment-related fraud in 2024.
Alert to all new college grads: If you think you're too smart to get taken by a job scam, think again. The crooks are always a step ahead of us. And that same advice applies to anyone with years of experience who just lost a job and continues to look for work.
In May, Amazon issued a wake-up call regarding scammers who were impersonating the tech giant. The con artists are offering "unrealistic job opportunities" and demanding payments or sensitive information, according to a post on the social media platform X by Amazon News.
Amazon warned that job scams reported by Amazon customers saw a 90% increase from January to March. Consumers can report scams to www.amazon.com/ReportAScam.
Official Amazon job postings can be found at www.amazon.jobs — the company isn't texting or emailing you out of the blue about a great job. But you can sign up for job alerts when jobs become available near you.
The economic uncertainty triggered by the unsettling scene that has been evolving around the Trump administration's on-again, pause-again tariff strategy has put a lid on hiring in many industries. And that's bound to drive up scams relating to employment.
University of Michigan economists are forecasting that Michigan's unemployment rate could hit 6% in the first half of next year. The state's jobless rate was 5.5% in April. By contrast, the U.S. jobless rate was 4.2% in April.
We've been particularly hard hit in Michigan. The U-M forecasters noted that Michigan's unemployment rate rose by 1.3 percentage points in a year from March 2024 to March 2025. Michigan's jobless rate saw the largest increase of any state during that period and the second-highest unemployment rate in the nation, trailing only Nevada.
Those hunting for jobs must do their research, though, before accepting a job or even scheduling a job interview, according to a warning from the Better Business Bureau.
Take a second look at any URL you spot on social media. Call the company directly to see whether there is an opening and what the job would pay. Take a hard look at the email address from the sender or area code for that phone number associated with a text. Who is really contacting you? And do they really operate out of Iowa or the Caribbean?
Con artists hide behind big brand names
Recent grads might be tempted by high-paying, entry-level jobs — some even offer the chance to work exclusively from home. But con artists continue to be "skilled at drawing new grads in by promoting unrealistic wages for generally labeled job positions, such as 'virtual assistant' or 'customer service rep,'" according to the BBB warning.
Sometimes, others warn, a job scam starts with the subject line saying "influencer opportunities."
Those running scams often impersonate big name companies or recruiters by sending phishing emails or texts. You might spot an offer at $35 an hour or much higher.
"I got a text message from this person who calls themselves Maya from TARGET (they used all caps just like this, for some reason)," according to a person filing a complaint on the BBB Scam Tracker in late May.
"The text message came from an email account that did not match their supposed name: roseyoumans.9260@songwriter.net. They offered me a job at Target with $500 per day, which, according to them would equate to $1,000 a week for four days of work (I'm no mathematician, but that doesn't add up)," the person stated.
And there was more: Paid annual leave in addition to maternity leave and statutory holidays.
Fortunately, the job hunter figured out that this text was just another opportunity for scammers to steal something. The person did not lose any money.
Maya, by the way, seems to be really busy since other reports on the Scam Tracker highlighted a similar encounter with Maya.
Target has some solid tips on how to look for jobs and interview at its website, as well as job openings. See www.corporate.target.com for information.
Sometimes, you'll try to do research on the job opening and you won't find a thing about a lesser-known company or the opening online. Not a good sign.
A huge red flag: During an interview or application process, you'll be asked on the spot for your bank account number or Social Security number. The crooks will claim they need that information to set up direct deposit or file taxes, according to the BBB. They're going to use that information to steal your ID or steal money out of your account.
The BBB also warns that some scammers will ask you to send a copy of government-issued IDs, so they can use that information to create false tax returns or open fraudulent credit accounts. One consumer even reported that the so-called recruiter wanted a credit score.
Fake checks remain part of the scam
One scam strategy I wrote about a few years ago remains in the playbook. Scammers convince you that you'll need to pay for training, supplies, or your office equipment.
A college student posted on Reddit about a job interview that only involved communicating by Microsoft Teams, no chance to meet face-to-face. And the company — whose career page was down — said they'd send a check for the student to buy equipment.
In some cases, bad actors actually send you a check to cover expenses. You might even get that check via FedEx. You deposit it quickly, maybe by taking a photo of the check to deposit it using your bank's mobile app.
You might immediately have access to some money. But the crooks trick you by saying you were accidentally overpaid, and you're told to send back the extra cash. Once you send any money, you later discover that the check was a phony and you're out the cash.
FBI figures indicate job scams rose in 2024
According to an FBI warning, scammers use social media to post part-time jobs on messaging boards. The crooks will include a contact number for WhatsApp, Telegram, or another messaging application so that you can call them. But the entire scam is conducted online — the job posting, the initial contact, the interview, the job offer.
The FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center, known as IC3, reported that consumers lost about $264 million to employment-related scams in 2024. That was more than 3½ times the dollars lost in 2023.
You want to beware of any job where the recruiter or boss is demanding payment through cryptocurrency, gift cards or sensitive information.
Reports of job scams and employment fraud to the FBI rose significantly last year, up nearly 30% from 2023. Last year, consumers filed 20,044 complaints about employment scams to the FBI at www.ic3.gov — a site that collects information about cyber-enabled crime. Someone 60 and older can call the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 833-372-8311 if they need help filing a complaint with IC3.
The FBI defines employment fraud as a situation where individuals believe they are legitimately employed and lose money or end up laundering money or goods during their employment.
Employment scams hit all age groups, but the FBI data shows that those who are age 20 through 39 filed the most complaints.
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