Also if they send you a form or link that requests your DOB or SS# without a formal job interview or offer

When they want you to download telegram and interview or message through there. Red flag in my experiences.

Bad grammar used to be a red flag, but they seem to be using AI now.

It's not just with jobs, either. Things like your Prime membership that needs to renew, but your card was declined, are looking more realistic.

4. I got the send a check to buy equipment one yesterday. Told them I already had a laptop, etc. that was the end of that.

Usually if they “stumbled across your profile” and found your resume without you applying, also the sign of a scam (unless you’re very active on LinkedIn, where they might just be a head hunter).

Unrealistically high pay for an entry level role. Sorry but that $39/hr data entry job is probably too good to be true.

If they ask you to join them on ANY messaging software (recruiters shouldn’t be reaching out to you on WhatsApp). Most, if not all, communication should be over the phone or email.

Go with your gut. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is. Look up the people you’re talking to on LinkedIn. Research the company. If something seems fishy, look up the company with “scam” after and see what pops up. Your employer shouldn’t be asking you to buy anything

Scamming people looking for remote work is a growth industry.

Become a regular reader on r/Scams if you're looking for remote work, and especially if you're looking for entry-level remote work. Learn how to spot the common scam signs and the newest scams. Look for "job," "task," and "fake check" on r/Scams to learn how they work .

Why is having two first names a red flag?

I have two first names and never scammed anyone :(

There are a lot of these scams around, the ones that have you push buttons make you think you're boosting a products reputation then asking you for a couple of bucks because you're gonna get more…

It normally involves WhatsApp, some sort of cryptocurrency transfer and Cash app

I wish there was a way to flip the check to buy equipment onto them somehow. Get the money without doing anything and then getting in trouble for fraud.

What happens if you take those checks to the bank and tell them it's suspected fraud. Not to cash it obviously, instead to get an investigation going without someone getting squeezed in the middle.

Thank you for your post!

I’ve been getting a lot of messages wanting to interview me over teams.

You confirmed my suspicions that they are scams. Thanks!!

I have; one sent me a check to pay for equipment. Asking really dumb questions, via teams or other chatting services.

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Great post. Another thing that I have seen, being out of work for a while recovering from surgery, is that if your resume shows you haven't worked in a while. Predators know that you want to get back to work and will take advantage of that.

Legit jobs won’t ask you for pictures of your SS card, ID, birth certificate, etc over chat (or email for that matter). Wait until you’re physically going in the office to provide that information.

Do your research on LinkedIn. That makes it easier to avoid the "scammers impersonating a real company" scenario, especially if it is a fairly big or well known company.

99% of the time, if someone offers you a job without an interview or even basic vetting, it's a scam.

If you're submitting a resume, you should already know if a place is legit or not.

>dont put ssn or date of birth on resume?

That isn't a tip to avoid scams, those are just things that should never go on your resume period.

Yes common scam. Play them out - there are some videos online where the scammer gets increasingly upset when the applicant refuses to send back his “money”. Tell them you bought the equipment on Amazon or eBay rather than his “vendor”

Don't touch that money call them or go to the bank and let them know that you have been scammed and that check has something going on with it

Scamming Red Flags

1. If it's too good to be true, it's a scam.
2. They will always concern you with a sense of urgency
3. They will ask you money first even a small amount
4. They will pretend to have authority, No one without your consent should assume authority over you.
5. They will pretend to be doing you a favor, It takes months to be in such a relationship, a real worker getting paid minimum wages won't give you a cent of their compassion.
6. Never, ever, ever run a .exe file from your email even if it is from your workplace
7. EMPHASIZING POINT 3, THEY ARE THERE TO PAY YOU, NOT THE WAY AROUND.

Honestly the list is long, but the gist of it is this. If you receive a call or email from your bank or any potentially any establishment... Tell them that you will sort out the issue at their physical office, they will panic and try to minimize the issue

"Ah there's no need, we can solve the problem right now"

Or "You have to do this now or your money will be lost"

Are the typical responses. If it's someone hiring you, they have no right whatsoever to ask for money. There's never been such a Job and will never be. It's a scam.

If they ask for a Google hangout like me or a check to come into your bank account and clear it

They’ll be paying you money not you paying them

If it’s too good to be true it’s likely a scam.

If it sounds too good to be true, it's most likely a scam. Nobody is paying ppl $50/hr to do basic data entry at home, or to manage some random package deliveries. No legit employer will ask you to give them money for anything during the hiring process, not for equipment, background checks, or anything else. Nor will they send you checks to do shady stuff with, much less expect you to use your personal bank account to process a transaction, and/or return part of the money to them. If you have a bad gut feeling about something, get out of there, because it's probably right.

Thanks for sharing this! You’re so right—job hunting can feel like a never-ending cycle of frustration, especially with those scammers lurking around. It’s disheartening when you invest time and energy only to find out it's a scam. Your strategy for dealing with them is solid; it’s not just about protecting yourself but also helping out others down the line by reporting them.

It's easy to feel worn down and discouraged, but staying focused and persistent is key. Everyone here has felt that punch at some point, so knowing we’re in this together can really help. Let’s keep sharing our experiences and tips to outsmart these scammers and find real opportunities. Thanks again for the article link—definitely going to check that out!

Thank you for this, I have been job hunting for a customer service representative remote opportunity since last year but nothing solid has popped up yet, will I give up? No! I’ll keep searching until something pops up.

I was a victim of this a few months back. the job was legit until the check came, I knew it wasn't right. The scam was send back what we over paid you. Two weeks later my bank would of caught it as a fake check and I would have had to pay fees. But I only lost out on the time and effort of the tasks to get paid for the scammer. Be careful out there.

if you’re a college kid and get caught by one of these scams it’s on you

If it isn’t an official school email, it’s not legit.

this is so clearly a scam lol who would fall for this. Punctuation error, a gmail account, good lord

"working on a Research research"

Good tipoffs:

• You get paid $/week or $/contract
• They mention the school, but dont have NCSU email
• They have random capitalization or horrible grammar in the email
• Its a plain-text email
• And, in this case, they claim to be both a Dean and a Professor…