How to spot remote job scams

Remote work is real, and so are the scams that copy it. The good news: most scams follow the same few patterns. Learn them and you can avoid nearly all of them.

The biggest red flags

• You have to pay. Real employers do not charge for training, equipment, software, background checks or “registration.”
• They send you a check and ask you to deposit it and send part of the money somewhere. The check will bounce and you will owe the bank.
• The interview happens only in a chat app such as Telegram or WhatsApp, with no video call and no company email.
• The pay is far too good for simple work, or the job is “just liking posts” or “completing tasks” for money.
• You are hired instantly without a real interview, or asked for your bank login, Social Security number or ID before you have an offer.
• The email uses a free address (Gmail, Outlook) while claiming to be a large company.

Common scam types

• Fake check scams: you are sent a check to “buy equipment.”
• Reshipping scams: you receive packages at home and forward them, often moving stolen goods.
• Task and “boosting” scams: you are asked to deposit your own money to unlock payouts.
• Identity theft: a fake application collects your personal details.

A five-minute check before you apply

1. Search the company name plus “scam” or “reviews.”
2. Visit the company’s own website and find the same job on its careers page.
3. Check that the recruiter’s email matches the company website’s domain.
4. Look for a real business: an address, named staff, a working website that is more than a few weeks old.
5. Never send money, and share personal details only after a real offer and only through the company’s official system.

If you think you were targeted

• Stop all contact and do not send more money or information.
• If you shared bank details or deposited a check, call your bank right away.
• Report it to the U.S. Federal Trade Commission at reportfraud.ftc.gov and to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov.
• If the listing was on Verified Remote Jobs, email us so we can remove it.

Every job marked Verified on Verified Remote Jobs has had its company, careers page and contact email checked by a person. Browse verified remote jobs or read how we verify.