Beware: Job Scams Are on the Rise Amid Layoffs
Scammers are always on the lookout for new victims, and right now, they’re targeting people who have just lost their jobs. With mass layoffs making headlines—thousands of cuts in government agencies, 1,100 corporate jobs eliminated at Starbucks, Macy’s stores shutting down—it’s no surprise that fraudsters are swooping in.
If you’re out of work, you might soon get a text about a “fantastic” job opportunity. Maybe it promises remote work, flexible hours, and a jaw-dropping salary. Sounds too good to be true? That’s because it probably is.
Take this recent text message:
“Hello, I’m Sarah from Temu. We would like to offer you a great remote part-time job helping merchants update data and boost visibility. Free training provided!”
The pay? Up to $500 a day. Benefits? Unreal—paid leave, holidays, and more.
Reality check: Temu does not recruit through text messages. This is just another variation of a job scam.
TESTMONIALS OF RECOVERED FUNDS
The Rise of ‘Task Scams’
According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), losses from job scams tripled between 2020 and 2023, with victims losing more than $220 million in just the first half of 2024.
One of the biggest trends? “Task scams.” These involve small, simple online tasks—liking videos, rating images, “boosting” products—that initially pay out small amounts. Then comes the catch:
🔹 You’re asked to invest your own money to keep earning.
🔹 You’re promised bigger returns—except you never see a dime.
🔹 Payments are often in cryptocurrency, making them harder to track or recover.
🔹 Scammers may add you to a group chat filled with fake “success stories” to pressure you into sending money.
If you hesitate, they’ll claim the offer is time-sensitive. By the time you realize it’s a scam, your money is long gone.
How to Spot a Job Scam
Stay alert and look for these red flags:
🚩 Unsolicited texts or WhatsApp messages offering work-from-home jobs. Legitimate companies don’t recruit this way.
🚩 Requests for upfront payments or investments to “unlock” your earnings.
🚩 High pay for low-effort work. No one is paying $50K+ for part-time, entry-level tasks.
🚩 Interviews done exclusively via chat apps with no real communication.
🚩 Emails from personal accounts instead of official company domains.
🚩 Fake job postings using real company names but bogus hiring processes.
Protect Yourself
🔹 Verify job offers. Google the company name + “scam” to check for warnings.
🔹 Contact companies directly to confirm openings.
🔹 Never pay upfront for a job, training, or equipment.
🔹 Be cautious with online-only interviews and job offers that seem too easy.
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If you spot a scam, report it to the FTC (ReportFraud.ftc.gov) or your state’s attorney general’s office.
The job market is tough, and scammers know it. Stay sharp, stay skeptical, and don’t let them take advantage of you.
