Job Scams (FTC Consumer Advice)
A short official guide from the US Federal Trade Commission to the most common job scams: fake cheques, fees for the promise of a job, work-from-home schemes and reshipping. The patterns are the same ones used against remote job seekers worldwide.
Guide
Career Growth
US Federal Trade Commission
All
Free
What it is
The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) publishes consumer advice on job scams. This page explains the common patterns, the warning signs and what to do if you have been targeted (source: consumer.ftc.gov, as of 2026-09).
What it covers
- Fake cheques: a "employer" sends a cheque, asks you to deposit it and send money on to someone else. In the FTC's words, "The check will bounce, and the bank will want you to repay the full amount."
- Paying for a job: "Honest employers, including the federal government, will never ask you to pay to get a job."
- Work-from-home schemes: promises of big earnings for little effort, with charges for "starter kits, so-called training, or certifications that are useless".
- Reshipping: "assistant" or "quality control" jobs that really involve receiving and forwarding stolen goods.
- Unexpected contact: offers that arrive out of the blue, especially those involving payments.
Why it matters if you are not in the US
The same scams run in every country, and remote job seekers are a favourite target because everything happens online. Reading an official, plain-language guide helps you recognise the patterns quickly. The specific reporting steps are for the US; use your own country's police, cybercrime unit or fraud reporting service, and your bank.
Time needed
About ten minutes.
What to do after reading
- Write your own rule: no money paid, no software installed and no documents shared before a verified, signed offer.
- Add a verification checklist to your job tracker: official website, exact email domain, recruiter history, video call.
- Save your bank's fraud line and your country's reporting route.
- Share the patterns with friends who are job hunting.
Common questions
Are all messaging-app offers scams? Not all, but a process that never moves to a video call and a company email is a strong warning sign.
What if money already left my account? Contact your bank or payment provider immediately.
Does this cover task scams? The same principle applies: if you must pay to be paid, it is a scam.
Ready to start?
Opens on US Federal Trade Commission in a new tab.
Stuck on something specific?
Writing only gets you so far. If you want an answer to your situation rather than the general case, book a session and we will work through it together. Sessions are free for approved Sefism members, and a few slots open each week.
Follow along
New writing, resources and project ideas land here first.