10 Signs Your Dream Job Is Actually a Scam

Nancy Anderson
Posted by in Career Advice


You open your email and see an invitation to start your dream job. While this seems like a cause for celebration, don't pop the champagne cork just yet. Scammers often target job seekers in an attempt to obtain money or private information they can use to steal your identity. Before you respond to an ad or an email, consider some of these indicators that the job might not exist. Take a look at these top signs that the job being offered is likely a scam.

1. Overpayment for Menial Jobs

If an advertisement promises high pay for menial jobs that don't require experience or skills, it's likely a scam. One example are the ads that promise to pay top dollar for stuffing envelopes, a simple task anyone can do. When job seekers follow up on such offers, they typically discover that the promises of high pay aren't actually tied to the task of stuffing envelopes.

2. Unprofessional Written Ads or Emails

Legitimate companies usually have professionals write and edit job ads or job-related emails. If you receive an email that contains multiple grammatical, spelling, punctuation or capitalization errors, be wary. Also, watch out for emails or ads that read as if they were written by someone who does not speak fluent or correct English.

3. The Promise to "Work From Home"

Some "work from home" advertisements may be scams. Many legitimate companies provide "work from home" opportunities for freelancers and telecommuters. However, there are also scammers who know that many people are desperate for money and tied to their homes for various reasons. These scammers prey on desperate individuals in an attempt to fatten their own pockets. Always research "work from home" opportunities thoroughly to ensure they're legitimate before providing your personal information.

4. Non-Verifiable Contact Information

If you receive an email from someone claiming to represent a company, compare the sender's physical address, email address and contact number to the company's information. Check the company's website to see if the information in the email appears anywhere. Call the physical office to confirm the legitimacy of the contact and email. If no one in human resources knows the person who contacted you, the person who sent the email might be a scammer.

5. Requests for Money

If a potential employer asks you to pay to access a job listing or to get started, you may be seeing the signs of a scam. Some multilevel marketing companies typically require you to buy the merchandise you're going to sell before officially joining the business opportunity. However, if a company encourages you to buy resell products and merchandise on credit, you may be dealing with a scammer.

6. Requests for Confidential Information

If a potential employer asks for confidential information, such as your Social Security number or birthdate, be wary. Some scammers might even ask for your bank account information, claiming they need it to deposit your paycheck. Human resources representatives generally collect routing and account numbers from a voided check during the hiring process. Never provide this information via email or over the telephone.

7. Vague Job Listings

If an ad promises a high pay rate but doesn't require a resume or explain the specific job requirements or duties, the listing might be a scam. A legitimate employer is typically very specific about the skills, education and knowledge needed for a job, especially one that pays well.

8. Getting Too Personal

A transaction between a prospective employer and a potential employee should be completely professional from start to finish. If an employer asks to see your photo, asks about your personal life or begins sharing personal too much personal information about himself, be wary. Also, a prospective employer should not ask you to come to his home office for the interview or suggest meeting in a non-public place.

9. No Interview

Most managers do not hire employees without interviewing them first. Employers like to get a feel for the person they're hiring and want to discuss their past job and education experiences to determine if they're a good fit. If a company representative seems too eager to hire you and does not conduct an interview, the job might be a scam.

10. Follow Your Instincts

If your instincts make you feel like something is wrong, don't ignore this feeling. Research the company thoroughly, and ask probing questions about the contact person and job listing. Don't succumb to the pressure to make a quick decision.

If you suspect an email or an ad about a job is a scam, don't submit your resume or cover letter to the company, as these documents generally contain personal information a scammer can use to steal your identity. If you discover that a job listing or email from a job recruiter is indeed a scam, consider reporting any information you have about the company to the proper authorities, such as the Better Business Bureau or similar organizations.

Photo Coutesy of Cokolads at Flickr.com

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  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson

    @Bryce so sorry that you had a bad experience. Typically, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. I have seen so many of these bait and switch type tactics. Just happened last week to a friend's daughter. She thought that she was being hired to be a receptionist at a local automobile dealership. She even went for an interview there still thinking that it was a receptionist position. Day 1 of the job, she was put in a room with a bunch of other people and found out that it was for a call center type job. Needless to say, she walked out and didn't return. But they aren't all like this. So don't be discouraged. Try again. The next one might really be your dream job.

  • Bryce F.
    Bryce F.

    Point 1 should be "If it too good to be true, then it probably is." I once took a job at a house-hold name insurance company, expecting to report directly to an Exec. VP. It proved to be a bait-and-switch. On my first day I found myself reporting to a low-level manager whom I wouldn't have hired to be my assistant.

  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson

    @Jane thanks for the question. I would think that any outlay of money would be too much. If they require you to have a briefcase, they can provide it and can take the funds from your first paycheck. If the job is valid, they will understand. After all, you are seeking a job because you need to earn money.

  • Jane H.
    Jane H.

    Regarding point number five, I have responded to job listings where the company wanted me to buy a briefcase from them because it was preloaded with the paperwork I'd need to do the job. When I asked them why would they ask me to buy the briefcase they said that when people quit, they tend to keep the briefcase, so now they ask employees to buy it. On the one hand, that makes sense, but on the other hand, I think it sets up a loss of trust before the new hire even begins the job. What do you think?

  • Lydia K.
    Lydia K.

    With so many companies posting anonymous ads for work from home, it can be hard to separate the scams from legitimate opportunities. One approach you can take is to send a cover letter only until you have more information. Another is to leave identifying data off your resume. Does anyone have feedback about whether recruiters would be less likely to respond if you take these precautionary approaches? I wonder whether recruiters are sensitive to the fact that job seekers may be hesitant to respond to blind job ads?

  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson

    @Mia thank goodness that you didn't send them your SSN! Never do that until/unless you receive a valid, verifiable offer. That is why we always stress to research, research and then research again when you are applying for a position. Never give money and never give out any personal information. They certainly can find out your name, email address and some of your information just by doing a search of you. @Erin sometimes it does feel like you are navigating between landmines sometimes but, if you just take a few minutes and research the companies, those landmines will become less and less. Another little trick I have learned is to keep a log of these companies. This way, should a great sounding job opening show up, you can quickly scan your scam list to see if you have already encountered this company. You have to remember that scammers are pretty smart and they change their information all of the time but there is always something about the post that will not ring true. So diligence is needed at all times.

  • Erin H.
    Erin H.

    These are all really good flags to spot a scam. Request for confidential information should always raise a red flag. I think that legitimate offers should not require you to give private information or send money. A legitimate offer should involve an employee performing a job and being paid for their services. The "work from home" section of the newspaper of job site feels like navigating landmines sometimes.

  • Mia Greenwood
    Mia Greenwood

    Never give money to get a job! I agree about doing your research. There are many work for home jobs that are legitimate and do require personal information. Scammers know this, and it can be hard to tell the difference without doing proper research. One clue is if they tell you they need info such as a social security number before you actually get the job. I had this happen once, but fortunately I figured it out before sending anything personal.

  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson

    @William and I would certainly agree. About a year ago I actually ran into this issue where I was reviewing a job posting and had a question so I contacted the number in the posting only to find that the person answering did not have command of the English language. Can you say NEXT?!!! @Erin that's so great. Being happy and being paid your worth is what we all want.

  • Erin Jean
    Erin Jean

    I got very lucky; for me, my experience with a highly-paid 'menial' job worked out well. I have a desk job at amazing pay. My bosses are the rare good men among cost-cutters, and just thought a living wage was fair.

  • William Browning
    William Browning

    What happens if you simply find someone who can't do his or her job correctly when you contact the company? Should incompetence or someone who seems "twitchy" be a sign it's a scam? I know everyone has bad days, and even employees at well-established companies have bad days. However, when my first impression is someone that doesn't have their act together, the first thing I think is, "I'm not working for this company, that's for sure!"

  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson

    So very true @Jacob. Take the time to research the company. If they are not identifying themselves, then you probably are not interested anyhow. That's a good sign that it's a scam. @Shannon there isn't one job board where you will find listings of work from home jobs. Just make sure that you are on a reputable job board like Beyond.com. But even on reputable sites, these scammers still find a way in. We delete the scam today, they come back in tomorrow disguised as someone else. So just use common sense and take the time to really research. Sometimes just by typing in the company name or even the contact phone number in a search is enough to find out whether it's legit or not.

  • Jacob T.
    Jacob T.

    This article gives some great tips on things to look for when trying to determine whether or not a job offer is legitimate. It can be really difficult to resist the urge to send out resume for listings that seem to be providing what a job seeker is looking for - home based work, part time second job, a first step on a new career path - that it they are well advised to slow down and consider some of these flags.

  • Shannon Philpott
    Shannon Philpott

    With an increase in the need for freelancers, how would you recommend people find work-from-home opportunities that are reputable? I have found myself scouring through job boards, employment websites, only to find many of the scams listed here. The biggest red flag is when the advertisement promises inflated wages that are unrealistic.

  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson

    Thanks for the comments. @Shaday so very true. However, most work from home positions do not require intensive interviews and, typically, the interview is done over the phone. @Catherine if you suspect the company, you can report them to the BBB, contact the Attorney General or, if money is involved, can contact the police. Good example: last year my daughter received a job offer that, on the surface, looked real. We checked the company and all we could find were top ratings and glowing reports. So we decided that she should go for it. She was going to need special equipment in order to do the job so the company was going to send her a check so that she could purchase what was needed. Can you say HUGE RED FLAG?! She continued on with the process as if she was really going to work for them just so that she could get the check. When it arrived, we took it right to the police department. In addition, I contacted the real company and let them know that these people were using their company ID for a money laundering scam. So caution always when you are trying to get a remote job.

  • CATHERINE S.
    CATHERINE S.

    This is a fantastic list of warning signs to look for when you are searching for a job. Unfortunately there are so many predators out there that want to take advantage of desperate people. If you suspect that a company you are interacting with is an illegal scam, should you report it to the police? Is it worth it?

  • Shaday Stewart
    Shaday Stewart

    The article is spot on when it comes to interviewing. Most skilled labor jobs are so competitive nowadays that you often have to survive several rounds of intense interviewing. Even when you compete for remote/telecommuting jobs, many employers want a proposal, portfolio, references or phone interview to get a feel for your experience and personality. Any company that wants to hire you without getting to know you or checking out your credentials isn't too interested in building a lasting business, so beware.

  • Nancy Anderson
    Nancy Anderson

    Thanks for the comments. @Abbey that may be true but make sure that you have really researched the company. Some mystery shopping sites really are legit but there are so many that are not. Always search for scams for that company. See if you can find them on Linkedin and see what others have to say. Same for Facebook and Twitter. If the company is for real, they will have a good social media presence. I almost fell for a work from home scam awhile back. I checked and checked and everything "looked" legit but something about it keep niggling at the back of my mind. So I found a contact point in HR and sent them the job posting along with the information I had from the online "interview". They responded back to me within a few hours and let me know that the posting was not theirs. I contact the poster and asked them to remove the posting because it was a scam. The problem with that is that, even though they removed it today, they will be back tomorrow with another one. @Kellen sure you can have direct deposit when working from home. Just make sure that you have really and truly researched the company and know for absolutely sure that they are a real company - then you can give them your information.

  • Abbey Boyd
    Abbey Boyd

    I can see how most of these tips would be really helpful in helping a person avoid a scam, but as Kellen mentioned, some online work is legitimate, and does require information. A good example of this is mystery shopping companies. Most of these companies require a person to give a social security number for tax purposes and offer direct deposit as a form of payment. There generally is no interview or face-to-face meeting, so the only option for providing this information is online. There are many legitimate companies that work this same way. With work from home opportunities, a person needs to be very careful, but also must understand that giving some personal information is necessary.

  • Kellen P.
    Kellen P.

    There are plenty of legitimate online jobs that require you to give up certain personal information. They aren't scams, but using the criteria listed in this article, many people would never take them seriously. How can you know for sure that you aren't being scammed when working from home? Sometimes direct deposit is preferable because of PayPal fees. Should you never allow for direct deposit when working for an online company?

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