Is this work from home job a scam? That's what today's post is going to help you figure out!
One of my favorite things to do as a work at home blogger is help people dodge the scams that are out there.
When you're new to working from home and begin searching for a real, legit job, you will probably find yourself asking whether different opportunities are scams all the time.
Even though I already have a lot of information on how to spot a scam posted on this website, I thought it would be handy to create a checklist you can use whenever you come across an opportunity you aren't sure about.
Of course, I can't guarantee that this checklist will steer you away from every shady opportunity, but it should help you recognize many of the most common warning signs.
Be sure to bookmark this for future reference!
So, you find a work at home job posting online, and it sounds like you may be a fit. You want to apply, but you're just not sure whether it's legitimate.
Here's what to do:
1 – Find Out the Name of the Company Hiring
First, find out the name of the company hiring if it isn't included in the listing. I know that company names are sometimes left out of listings posted on Craigslist and other sites.
If there is an email address or another way to contact whoever posted the job, ask for the company's name and official website. You simply cannot do the necessary research if you don't know who is supposedly hiring.
If the person refuses to identify the company, don't apply or provide any personal information.
2 – Search for the Company's Official Website
Search for the company yourself rather than relying only on a link sent by a recruiter. Scammers sometimes create convincing copies of real company websites or use web addresses that are only one or two letters different from the real address.
Look carefully at the website address, company contact information, and email domain. Does the site explain what the company does and provide a reasonable way to contact it?
A sloppy or unfinished website can be a warning sign, but a professional-looking website does not prove an opportunity is legitimate. Scammers are capable of creating polished websites, too.
3 – Verify That the Company and Job Are Real
Check whether the company is operating a real business that would actually need workers for the type of job being advertised.
The website should explain the company's products or services—not just its need for workers.
Then visit the company's official careers page and look for the exact position. If you cannot find it, contact the company using contact information from its official website, not the phone number or email address included in the suspicious job offer.
Remember that scammers sometimes impersonate real companies and real employees. Proving that the company exists does not automatically prove that the person contacting you represents it.
4 – Check the Company's Social Media Profiles
Next, check the company's social media profiles.
If the company operates a real business, you may see evidence of it promoting its products or services, communicating with customers, and sharing company updates.
However, not every legitimate company is active on every social platform, so a limited social media presence is only one clue—not proof of a scam.
It's also a good idea to read comments and posts made by others on the company's pages in case applicants, employees, or customers have reported problems.
5 – Ask Yourself, “Does This Job Sound Too Good to Be True?”
Read the job posting thoroughly and pay close attention to the nature of the work, the qualifications required, and the amount of money the company promises you'll make.
Is it extremely easy work that anyone can do, but it also pays amazingly well? If so, that red flag needs to go up.
Why?
Because easy work that requires no special qualifications and also pays extremely well is practically nonexistent.
You might find an easy job, but it usually won't pay exceptionally well. Jobs that pay well are generally more difficult, require specific skills, or call for past experience.
There's almost always a trade-off somewhere. If it sounds too good to be true, it usually is.
6 – Does the Job Involve Suspicious Tasks?
Be very suspicious if the job promises unusually high pay for posting ads, entering basic data, stuffing envelopes, processing rebates, rating products, liking videos, or completing vague “optimization” tasks.
Some task scams even pay a small amount at first to gain your trust. Eventually, you are told to deposit your own money or cryptocurrency to unlock more tasks or withdraw your supposed earnings.
You should also avoid any job that asks you to receive and reship packages or move money through your personal bank account.
While there are legit online data entry jobs, they are rare. I'm automatically suspicious of data entry postings until I confirm that the company and the specific job are legitimate.
7 – Are You Being Asked to Pay to Get the Job?
Check whether you're being asked to pay something to apply, interview, receive assignments, or unlock your earnings.
Honest employers do not ask you to pay them for the promise of a job. Requests for payment through gift cards, cryptocurrency, wire transfers, or payment apps are especially serious warning signs.
Some independent contractor platforms may disclose legitimate costs for things such as a background check. If that happens, verify the fee directly through the company's official website and make sure you understand why it is required before paying anything.
Also remember that a business opportunity, training program, or starter kit is not the same thing as a job, even if the advertisement makes it sound like one.
8 – Research the Company on Glassdoor, Indeed, and BBB
Search for the company on Glassdoor, Indeed, and the BBB.
Glassdoor and Indeed can help you learn what employees have shared about the company's hiring process, salaries, management, and working conditions.
If the company has a long history of detailed reviews from employees, that can be reassuring. However, reviews can be fake, and scammers may impersonate a legitimate company that has excellent reviews.
A BBB profile or rating is another piece of information to consider, but it does not prove that a particular recruiter or job offer is legitimate. Read the complaints and the company's responses instead of looking only at the letter grade.
9 – Search the Company Name With Words Like “Scam,” “Reviews,” and “Complaints”
Search the company name along with words such as “scam,” “reviews,” and “complaints.” You can also search the recruiter's name, email address, phone number, and a distinctive sentence copied from the job posting.
People often post warnings online after being scammed, so you may find reports from others who received the same message or job offer.
Keep in mind that almost every large company has some negative reviews. Look for repeated complaints describing the same suspicious behavior rather than treating one angry review as proof.
The absence of complaints does not prove that an opportunity is safe, either. The scam or website could be brand new.
10 – Are You Being Asked to Deposit a Check for “Office Supplies”?
This is one of the oldest tricks in the book.
A supposed employer may send you a check to purchase office equipment or supplies. After you deposit it, you may be told to buy equipment from a specific vendor, send part of the money elsewhere, purchase gift cards, or return an “overpayment.”
Do not deposit the check or send any money.
Your bank may make the funds appear available before discovering that the check is fraudulent. When the check is eventually rejected, the money you spent or transferred will be taken from your account, and the scammer will be gone.
A legitimate employer will purchase equipment directly or use a clear, verifiable reimbursement process. It will not send you a check and ask you to forward money to someone else.
I have more info on how that scam works here, and you should check it out because this one is so common!
11 – Did the Company Contact You First?
Think about how you found out about the job. Did you apply for it, or did someone unexpectedly contact you by email, text, WhatsApp, Signal, or social media?
Legitimate recruiters do contact candidates, especially people who have posted resumes publicly. However, an unexpected message should always be verified.
Check whether the recruiter uses the company's official email domain rather than Gmail, Yahoo, or a misspelled imitation of the company's domain. Search for the recruiter's name on the official company website or LinkedIn, but remember that scammers can copy a real employee's name and photo.
Be especially cautious if the entire interview happens through text or chat, the questions are extremely basic, or you receive an immediate job offer without a normal interview.
12 – Are They Asking for Personal Information Too Soon?
Do not send your Social Security number, driver's license, bank account information, passwords, or copies of identification until you have verified the company and accepted a legitimate job offer.
Real employers need some sensitive information after hiring you for payroll, tax, or background-check purposes. They should collect it through a secure onboarding system—not through an unexpected email, text message, or chat app.
Be suspicious if someone pressures you to act immediately, tells you to keep the opportunity secret, or asks you to complete financial transactions before you have even spoken with a verified company representative.
So that basically covers it!
Go through this checklist whenever you get that unsure feeling about a potential work at home job. It should help you catch many scams before you hand over money or personal information.
Unfortunately, no checklist is completely foolproof. If you still aren't sure, don't let anyone rush you. Stop communicating with the recruiter and contact the company through its official website.
What to Do If You Think You've Already Been Scammed
If you sent money, contact your bank, credit card company, payment app, gift card issuer, or wire transfer service immediately. Explain that the payment was connected to a scam and ask whether it can be stopped or reversed.
If you shared personal information, visit IdentityTheft.gov for a personalized recovery plan.
You can report the scam to the Federal Trade Commission. You should also report the fake listing to the job board or social media platform where you found it.
Before you go, don't forget to subscribe to my free weekly newsletters. You can enter your email here to start receiving them. I send out more free work at home information like this whenever I find it.
Looking For More Ways to Avoid Scams?
If so, FlexJobs is a good way to find scam-free remote jobs if you create an account and do a search. Their job board isn't free, but I've been a member and found it to be really useful for me because all the job leads fit the following criteria:
- All jobs are either remote or flexible in nature
- Scam-free (all jobs vetted by humans before posting)
- No ads or junk on their site, so you can browse distraction-free
- Hundreds of jobs posted every day across tons of categories
- Respected, long-standing, and truly useful
They let you try them out for 14 days for $2.95. So there is not much risk if you just want to create an account and see if you find anything you may want to apply for.
Good luck!
Anna Thurman is a work at home blogger and mom of two. She has been researching and reviewing remote jobs for over 15 years. Her findings are published weekly here at Real Ways to Earn.