Job and recruiter scams: the warning signs

Updated Oct 7, 2026 · 6 minute read · By the IsSiteLegit team · How we write our guides

Job scams target people at a stressful time, and they're getting more common. Some steal money, some steal your identity, and some use you to move stolen money without you knowing. Here's how the most common ones work, the warning signs, and how to check that a recruiter is real.

The most common job scams

"Task" or "optimisation" jobs

A friendly stranger messages you on WhatsApp, Telegram or by text offering easy remote work: liking videos, rating products or "boosting" apps, with commission paid through a website. Small early payments are real, to build trust. Then you're told you must deposit your own money (often in cryptocurrency) to unlock bigger tasks or withdraw your earnings. That money never comes back.

The equipment cheque

You're "hired" after a short chat-only interview and sent a cheque to buy a laptop or office equipment from a "preferred supplier". You pay the supplier; days later, the cheque bounces and you've lost the money.

Fees for training, visas or background checks

A real employer pays to hire you, not the other way round. Requests to pay for a training course, a certificate, a visa or a "background check" before you start are a classic sign.

Identity theft dressed as onboarding

Some fake jobs exist only to collect your passport, driving licence, tax or social security / national insurance number and bank details, which are then used to open accounts in your name.

"Payment processing" jobs

If a job involves receiving money into your bank account and sending it on (often as crypto or gift cards), stop. This is money laundering, and the person whose account was used can get into serious trouble.

Warning signs

They contacted you first, about a job you never applied for.
The pay is very high for very little work or experience.
The whole process happens in a chat app, with no video call or phone interview.
You get an offer almost immediately.
You're asked to pay anything, or to deposit money to "unlock" earnings.
They want ID documents or bank details before there's a written contract.
The recruiter's email is a free address (Gmail, Outlook) or a domain that's slightly different from the company's real website.
The company website is brand new, or the "careers" link goes somewhere other than the company's own site.
They pressure you to decide today, or ask you to keep the job secret.

How to check a recruiter or job is real

Find the company yourself. Search for the company's official website (don't use links from the message) and look for the job on its own careers page.
Compare the email address. A recruiter from examplecorp.com should email from @examplecorp.com, not @examplecorp-careers.net or @gmail.com. Agencies are common, but the agency should be real and checkable too.
Check the website behind the email or job link. Paste it into IsSiteLegit: a domain registered a few weeks ago, or one that imitates a known company's name, is a strong warning sign.
Call the company using a phone number from its official website, and ask whether the person and the job exist.
Search for the details — the company name, the recruiter's name and the exact wording of the offer, plus the word "scam". Others may have posted about it.

If you think you've been caught

Stop replying and don't send any more money or documents.
If you sent money or bank details, call your bank straight away. Our guide what to do if you paid a scam website has a full checklist that applies here too.
If you sent ID documents, report it to your local identity-theft or fraud service and ask your bank about extra protection.
Report the job ad on the site where you saw it, and report the website on its IsSiteLegit page so others are warned.

A real job offer can wait a day while you check. Anyone who won't let you do that is telling you something. For links in job messages, see how to check a link before you click.