Remote work has been on the rise since the pandemic, with one in five Americans now working fully remotely. According to the U.S. Career Institute, 95% of people want to work remotely some of the time, and 54% of people want to work fully remotely.
While there are so many great remote job opportunities available, there’s also a downside. New scams are targeting remote job seekers, taking advantage of the stress of job hunting and the lack of face-to-face interaction to convince people to apply for fake jobs, share their personal details, and make payments.
Scams Targeting Remote Workers
Fake Job Ads: Fraudsters create fake job ads, tempting people with high-paying, flexible remote jobs, and using compelling language such as: “start now with no experience.” When remote workers click, scammers get their “in.”
Pay to Get Started: Scammers ask applicants to pay for certain things, such as a background check as part of the interview process or training materials to get started. They then pocket the payment and disappear.
Share Your Details to Get Paid: Alternatively, you might be fast-tracked through the hiring process and then asked to provide your bank account details, Social Security number, and other personal information to get started. This gives scammers everything they need to steal your identity. They can then take out loans and credit cards in your name, leaving you in debt and damaging your credit rating.
Fraudulent Website Subscriptions: Alternatively, you might be invited to join an exclusive freelancer website or remote job board to get access to superior curated opportunities. The fraudulent website is set up to steal your details, and there may be a subscription fee to get access.
How to Spot Remote Work Scams: 4 Red Flags
1. A Request for Payment
Legitimate employers don’t charge you to participate in recruitment or start working for them. Any request for payment for equipment, training materials, background checks, or similar items is a red flag.
2. The Job Description Reads Like Marketing Copy
Real jobs have detailed job descriptions that let you know exactly what will be expected of you in the position, and the qualifications and experience you need. Fake job ads often don’t bother with this, instead using vague marketing language, such as “make money from home” and “easy work with great pay.” Vague job details and an unrealistically high salary are red flags.
3. A Shallow Online Presence
Fraudsters will often create fake social media accounts and websites to support their scam. While they are getting better at creating legitimate-looking sites, there are often inconsistencies. For social media, the accounts are often new and unverified. For websites, while the main page and jobs page might look good, the rest of the website will often lack content and design features.
4. Expedited Hiring
Instant job offers and offers without an interview or trial task are major red flags, because they aren’t vetting you the way a real employer would. Asking you for personal information too soon, such as your bank details and Social Security number, is also a warning sign.
Tips for Avoiding Remote Work Scams
- Use established job boards that have processes in place to verify the companies advertising jobs.
- Independently check the legitimacy of vacancies by going to the business’s official website and looking at their official jobs board.
- Don’t share your personal details without an employment contract and never send your details to an unverified email address.
Verify Another website
Are you just about to make a purchase online? See if the website is legit with our validator:
vldtr®
TOP MUST-WATCH FRAUD PREVENTION VIDEOS
1. Top 5 Amazon Scams in 2024 2. Top 5 PayPal Scams in 2024 3. How to spot a scam Email in 2024
When my sweet old grandmother got caught up in an Amazon gift card scam, I decided then and there that I needed to do whatever I could to inform as many people as possible about the grifters of the world. That’s what I do here – writing about modern scams so you don’t get caught out.
This is a wonderful initiative to report and making the public aware of these scammers and bulshitters who take people for a fat cat ride. Thank you for prople as you. May God bless you.