Fake job interview, offer letter, and upfront fee
Scammers post jobs on real job boards, hold interviews, and even send offer letters that use a company's name and logo. Then they ask for money or sensitive information, or they send a fake check and tell you to send some of it back.
How it works
You may apply on a familiar job site or get a message about a high-paying role, often remote, that needs little experience. The process can feel real, with interviews, paperwork, and a branded offer letter. Later, the 'employer' asks you to pay for training, equipment, or a background check, or to share your Social Security number or bank details in an informal way. Another version sends a check, asks you to buy equipment or return leftover funds, and then the check bounces, leaving you responsible for the money you sent. After they have the money or your data, they disappear.
Red flags
- The employer asks you to pay for training, equipment, or a background check.
- You are asked for a Social Security number or bank details outside a secure company portal.
- A check arrives with instructions to buy gift cards or crypto, or to send money back.
- The job was a surprise offer, or the pay seems very high for little experience.
What to do
- Do not pay an employer or send money back from a check you were told to deposit.
- Look up the company yourself and call it on a number from its official website to confirm the job.
- Search the company or recruiter name with the word 'scam' before you share information.
- Report the offer at reportfraud.ftc.gov, at ic3.gov, and to your state attorney general.
Where to report it
- reportfraud.ftc.gov — the FTC's report form.
- ic3.gov — the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center.