layiq
/la·yiq/adjective
worthy; deserving; fitting; suitable.
A role, opportunity, or path that merits attention, time, and pursuit.
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How to tell if a job posting, recruiter or offer is a scam
Check a job posting, recruiter or offer yourself: find the job on the employer’s own careers page, reach the company through its official website instead of the contact details in the message, and never pay or hand over ID or bank numbers before you are hired.721 A red flag is a reason to verify, not a verdict, so this guide shows what to confirm and where to report what you find.
On this page
What a job scam is, and how often people report one
The FTC says scammers “advertise jobs the same way honest employers do — online (in ads, on job sites, and social media), in newspapers, and sometimes on TV and radio.” They promise a job, but what they want is “your money and your personal information.”1
The FBI describes two common set-ups. In one, criminals build a website with a domain name similar to a real company’s, post fake job openings on popular job boards that point applicants to it, and interview them by teleconference app, then ask for personal details or money.6 In the other, they imitate real businesses in job postings on networking sites, and in some cases use “the identities of actual company employees.”7
That is why ‘is the company real?’ and ‘did this message come from the company?’ are separate questions. A genuine company name, logo and employee name can all appear on something the company never sent.72
$501 million
Those are losses people reported to the FTC, not a count of every case. The FTC says “since most scams aren’t reported to the government, the real losses are likely much higher,” that one in three people who reported losing money to a job or business opportunity scam in 2025 said it started on social media, and that it did not collect reports during the 2025 government shutdown.5
Four checks before you reply, apply or share anything
Run these in order. Checks 1 and 2 answer different questions: is the job real, and is the person writing to you really from that employer? A match on one does not settle the other.
1. Find the job on the employer’s own careers page
Reach the employer’s website by typing the address or searching for the company name alone, not through a link in a message, and look for the same title, location and job ID.
2. Confirm the recruiter through the company
Use a phone number or website you found yourself. Do not rely on the contact details in the message.
3. Read the sender, the website and the interview
Check the email address, the website’s domain name and whether you will meet a person by video or in person.
4. Hold back money and sensitive details until you are hired
Do not pay to get a job, deposit a check and send money on, or share ID or bank numbers early.
1. Find the job on the employer’s own careers page
Go to the employer’s website yourself, and look for the same title, location and job ID on its careers page. The FBI’s advice is to “Verify job postings found on networking and third-party websites on the hiring company’s own website or through legitimate HR representatives at the hiring company.”7 A job that appears on job boards but not on the company’s website is one of the warning signs the FBI lists.6 California’s Attorney General says to contact the company “using a website or phone number you know is real — not the information in the text.”9
A search for the company name alone helps too. The FBI says results that return multiple websites for the same company, such as two web addresses that differ only by an added ‘llc,’ “may indicate fraudulent job listings.”7
LAYIQ’s free Ghost Job Checker can do the lookup for you. Paste the Apply link from the employer’s own careers site, or a LinkedIn or Indeed link. LAYIQ never reads a LinkedIn or Indeed page: for those links it asks for the company and the job title, then looks for the posting on the employer’s own hiring system. It shows whether the employer still lists the job and its posting date when the source gives one, and it gives no score or verdict.15
What a match does not tell you
A posting on the employer’s own system shows the employer published the job. It does not show that the person messaging you works there, and a live posting “does not confirm that an employer is actively hiring.” Not finding a posting is not evidence against a job either: the employer may list it under a different title or on another hiring system, and a LinkedIn or Indeed lookup works only for employers LAYIQ knows.15
Paste the employer’s Apply link, or a LinkedIn or Indeed link, into the free Ghost Job Checker to see whether the employer still lists the job. It checks the posting, not the person who contacted you. No sign-up needed.
Check a job link2. Confirm the recruiter through the company
Contact the company using a phone number or website you found yourself. The FTC’s advice is to use “a phone number you know to be legitimate — not one you got from the ‘recruiter.’”2
Recruiters do not all work for the employer. The FTC says many staffing agencies, temporary agencies, headhunters and other placement firms “may deliver honest job search services,” and that honest placement firms “do not typically charge a fee to job candidates.”1 So ask which employer the role is for, check that role as in step 1, and verify the agency the same way.
Look the person up too. LinkedIn’s Help Center says to proceed with caution if you can’t quickly verify the poster’s identity, and suggests searching for the sender’s phone number, email address and social media handles.11 The FBI lists recruiters or managers with no profile on the job board, or a profile that does not fit the role, among its warning signs.6
An invitation to a recorded or automated interview deserves the same checks before you click a link or record anything. Our guide to AI interview mistakes to avoid covers how to check one, and What is an AI interview? explains the formats.
3. Read the sender, the website and the interview
Most companies write from an address that ends in their own website, such as @company.com. Indeed’s Help Center says to be careful if the address has “misspelled words, extra letters, or ‘spoofed’ company names,” or comes from a free email address.13 The FTC calls a recruiter’s personal email address “a red flag.”2
A professional-looking website is not proof. The FBI says criminals copy real companies’ websites using a similar-looking domain name,6 and that they “can also use https://” to give victims “a false sense of security.”6
Hold the interview where a person can be seen or heard. Indeed’s Help Center says “Real employers want to talk to you before hiring,” and to be careful with offers made without an interview, especially if you only talk through chat apps.13 The FBI lists interviews that are not in person or on a secure video call among its warning signs.6 The FTC describes a so-called employer who, as soon as you apply, wants to interview you only on a text-only messaging app, then offers the job after a few questions.3
4. Hold back money and sensitive details until you are hired
The FBI says legitimate companies ask for personal information and bank account details for payroll after they hire employees, not before, and that this information is safer to give in person or after a video call that confirms who you are talking to.7 The FTC adds that honest employers never ask you to pay to get a job.1 Our guide to whether a job site sells your data covers where résumé details can travel once you share them.
Red flags, and what each source says
One sign is a reason to check; several together are the pattern worth acting on. Some signs are stronger than others: the FTC says anyone who asks you to pay to get a job is a scammer.1
| Red flag | What the sources say | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| You are asked to pay | “Honest employers, including the federal government, will never ask you to pay to get a job. Anyone who does is a scammer.”1 The FBI lists upfront payments for background checks, job training, start-up equipment or supplies.6 | Do not send money. Check the employer as in steps 1 and 2. |
| A check to deposit, with money to send on | “No honest potential employer will ever send you a check to deposit and then tell you to send on part of the money, or buy gift cards with it.”1 Indeed’s Help Center says never to agree to send or receive money for an employer, including by wire transfer or by cashing checks.13 | Do not deposit it or forward anything. |
| Early requests for ID, Social Security or bank details | The FBI says legitimate companies ask for these for payroll after hiring.7 The FTC describes requests for “employment paperwork” that come before the recruiter will answer questions about the job.2 | Hold off until you have confirmed the employer and been hired. |
| A job you did not apply for, or easy money | California’s Attorney General says “if a stranger offers you a job you didn’t apply for, it’s most likely a scam.”9 The FTC says a claim that “you can make a lot of money in a short period of time with little work” is “almost certainly a scam.”1 Florida’s Attorney General describes scammers pretending an applicant was “hand-picked” for the job.10 | Do not use the links in the message. Find the employer yourself. |
| An interview only by text or chat, or an offer that comes fast | The FTC describes offers that arrive after a few questions in a text-only app, followed by requests for direct deposit and tax forms.3 LinkedIn’s Help Center lists urgent requests to move the conversation off the platform, and California’s Attorney General lists a short timeline or pressure to respond urgently.119 | Ask for an in-person or video interview with a person you can verify, and slow down. |
| You must buy equipment, or receive and forward packages | The FBI lists employers who require you to buy start-up equipment from them.6 The FTC says “Reshipping goods is never a real job.”1 | Decline, and check the employer. |
| Cryptocurrency payments to “unlock” pay or work | The FBI describes fake work-from-home jobs built around simple tasks that require cryptocurrency payments to earn more or “unlock” work, and says: “Never send money to an alleged employer.”8 | Do not pay, and do not pay anyone who offers to recover lost cryptocurrency.8 |
| A look-alike website, email domain or second company website | The FBI says a search for the company name alone can return multiple websites for the same company.7 Indeed’s Help Center says to look for extra letters or “spoofed” company names in the sender’s address.13 | Go to the company’s real website yourself. |
A red flag is a reason to check, not a verdict
These signs help you decide what to verify. They do not show that a particular employer, site or posting is a scam, and LAYIQ does not label any as one: a real company’s name can be used by someone else.7 Treat a sign as a reason to check with the employer directly.
Is this company legit? What you can and cannot learn
‘Is this company legit?’ can mean two things: does the company exist, and did this offer really come from it. These steps help with both, but none of them proves a company honest.
- Search the company name alone. Check that its website, careers page and contact details agree, and look out for a second site with a near-identical name.7
- Search the name with “scam,” “review” or “complaint.” The FTC suggests this for the company and for the person hiring you, and adds: “No complaints? It doesn’t guarantee that a company is honest, but complaints can tip you off to possible problems.”1 California’s Attorney General adds: “If you can’t find the company online, steer clear.”9
- Look for a real office and a real contact. California’s Attorney General lists a company “without an established physical office” among the warning signs,9 and Indeed’s Help Center suggests asking whether the job is full-time and whether the company has a real office.13
- Talk it through with someone you trust. The FTC says describing the offer to them also gives you time to think it over.1
- Use official sites for government jobs. The FTC says it is always free to apply for a federal or postal job, and points to USAJobs.gov and usps.com/employment.1
Scams and ghost jobs are different problems
Whether an employer is still hiring for a role is a different question from whether the message in front of you is genuine. Our guides to how to spot a ghost job and how to tell if a job posting is still open cover the first question. The first check in this guide, finding the job on the employer’s own site, is one of the checks in both of those.
If you already replied, paid or shared something
- Stop and send nothing more. Do not reply to further messages or use the links they sent.
- If you paid, contact the company you used to send the money, report the fraud and ask to have the transaction reversed, if possible. The FTC says to do this however you paid, including by card, payment app, wire transfer, gift card or cryptocurrency.1 The FBI also advises asking your financial institution to contact the institution that received the transfer.6
- If you shared ID or financial details, go to IdentityTheft.gov (opens in a new tab) to report it and get a recovery plan.3
- Report it to the government. Report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov (opens in a new tab); the FTC says you can also report it to your state attorney general.1 The FBI asks for reports at ic3.gov (opens in a new tab) or a local FBI field office.6 The FTC says people who report to ReportFraud.ftc.gov about losing money receive information on next steps to try to recover it.4
- Report it where you found it, and to the company whose name was used. The FBI lists both among its steps for victims.6 LinkedIn’s Help Center describes Report this job on a job’s details page.12 Indeed’s Help Center describes a Report job button at the bottom of a job post, with a reason for jobs that do not exist, including “talent bank” listings made only to collect résumés and impersonation of a real company, and notes that “Reporting a job doesn’t guarantee we will take action.”14
Frequently asked questions
How can I tell if a job posting is legitimate?
Find the same job on the employer’s own careers page, reached through a web address you typed or searched for yourself, and compare the title, location and details.7 Then confirm any recruiter through the company’s official website or a phone number you know is real, not the contact details in the message.2 LAYIQ’s free Ghost Job Checker can look for the posting on the employer’s own hiring system, but a match does not show that the person messaging you works there.15
How do I know if a company is legit?
Search the company name alone and check that its website, careers page and contact details agree, and look out for a second website with a near-identical name.7 The FTC also suggests searching the name with “scam,” “review” or “complaint,” but says no complaints is not a guarantee that a company is honest.1 A real company’s name can be used by someone else, so also check that the offer came from the company.7
Is a recruiter who contacts me first a red flag?
It is a reason to verify before you reply. The FTC says many staffing agencies, headhunters and other placement firms may deliver honest job search services,1 but California’s Attorney General says “if a stranger offers you a job you didn’t apply for, it’s most likely a scam.”9 Confirm the recruiter and the role through the employer’s official website before you share personal details.
When do real employers ask for a Social Security number or bank details?
After they hire you, for payroll. The FBI says legitimate companies ask for personal information and bank account details for payroll purposes after hiring employees, and that it is safer to give in person or after a video call that confirms identity.7 The FTC describes scammers who ask for a driver’s license, Social Security or bank account number for “employment paperwork” before they will answer questions about the job.2
Should I pay for a background check, training or equipment?
No. The FTC says honest employers “will never ask you to pay upfront fees for a job or for equipment,” and will not ask you to pay by cash or a payment app.2 The FBI lists upfront payments for background checks, job training and start-up equipment among the ways criminals take money from applicants.6
What should I do if I already sent money or my information?
Contact the company you used to send the money, report the fraud and ask to have the transaction reversed, if possible.1 If you shared ID or financial details, go to IdentityTheft.gov for a recovery plan.3 Then report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and to the FBI at ic3.gov.16
How do I report a job scam?
Report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov, whether or not you lost money, and to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov.16 The FBI also advises reporting it to the site where the job was listed and to the company that was impersonated.6
Does LAYIQ tell me whether a job is a scam?
No. LAYIQ does not label any job, employer or site as a scam. Its Ghost Job Checker shows what the employer’s own hiring system lists, such as whether the job is still posted and its posting date, with no score or verdict, and says what it could not check.15 It cannot tell you who is messaging you, so verify the sender through the company’s official website.
Sources
- Federal Trade Commission, Consumer Advice. Job Scams (opens in a new tab). Accessed October 18, 2026.
- Federal Trade Commission, Consumer Advice. Scammers impersonate well-known companies, recruit for fake jobs on LinkedIn and other job platforms (opens in a new tab). Published August 8, 2023. Accessed October 18, 2026.
- Federal Trade Commission, Consumer Advice. Searching for a job to work remotely? Avoid scams and identity theft (opens in a new tab). Published November 13, 2023. Accessed October 18, 2026.
- Federal Trade Commission. New FTC Data Show a Big Jump in Reported Losses to Fraud to $12.5 Billion in 2024 (opens in a new tab). Published March 10, 2025. Accessed October 18, 2026.
- FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). Cyber Criminals Use Fake Job Listings To Target Applicants’ Personally Identifiable Information (Alert I-012120-PSA) (opens in a new tab). Published January 21, 2020. Accessed October 18, 2026.
- FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). Scammers Exploit Security Weaknesses on Job Recruitment Websites to Impersonate Legitimate Businesses, Threatening Company Reputation and Defrauding Job Seekers (Alert I-020122-PSA) (opens in a new tab). Published February 1, 2022. Accessed October 18, 2026.
- FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). Scammers Defraud Individuals via Work-From-Home Scams (Alert I-060424-PSA) (opens in a new tab). Published June 4, 2024. Accessed October 18, 2026.
- California Attorney General. Attorney General Bonta Alerts Californians to Job Recruitment Scams (opens in a new tab). Published April 10, 2025. Accessed October 18, 2026.
- Florida Attorney General. SSS: Summertime Employment Scams (opens in a new tab). Published July 19, 2022. Accessed October 18, 2026.
- LinkedIn Help. Recognize and report scams (opens in a new tab). Accessed October 18, 2026.
- LinkedIn Help. Reporting jobs on LinkedIn (opens in a new tab). Accessed October 18, 2026.
- Indeed Help Center for Job Seekers. Guidelines for a Safe Job Search (opens in a new tab). Accessed October 18, 2026.
- Indeed Help Center for Job Seekers. How To Report a Job (opens in a new tab). Accessed October 18, 2026.
- LAYIQ. Ghost Job Checker (opens in a new tab). Accessed October 18, 2026.