Scammers advertise jobs and business opportunities

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We know that scammers advertise jobs and business opportunities because we’ve investigated and stopped many of them. Unfortunately, scammers are relentless and keep advertising online in ads, on job sites, and social media. Knowing some of the red flags will help you spot these scams.  

A bogus job could be anything from reshipping products to selling things from home. Some scammers advertise mystery shopper jobs and charge people for useless job listing services.  They may promise high earnings with little work, or tell you that you can start your own business easily and make money right away. We know that scammers will target anyone searching for a job or a business opportunity, but we have also seen money-making schemes that targeted or disproportionately affected Black and Latino communities.

If you’re in the job market or looking for a business opportunity, scammers are looking for you. They want your money and your personal information. Before you accept a job offer or enter a business opportunity, take some time to talk to someone you trust about it. Also, consider this:

• Do an online search for the name of the company or the person who’s hiring you, plus the words “scam,” “review,” or “complaint.” You might find out they’ve scammed other people.
• Honest employers, including the federal government, will never ask you to pay to get a job. Anyone who does is a scammer.
• An honest potential employer will never send you a check and then tell you to send them part of the money. That’s a fake check scam.
• Success stories and testimonials might not be true or typical. Glowing stories of success could be fake or misleading, and positive online reviews may have come from made-up profiles.