Job scams have grown sharply alongside the rise in remote hiring and text-based recruitment, and the US Federal Trade Commission has tracked consumer losses rising from around $90 million to over $500 million as reported incidents nearly tripled in recent years. The tactics translate directly to the UK, where Action Fraud tracks the same core patterns under recruitment and advance-fee fraud.
The core mechanism: money moving the wrong way
The single clearest rule in this space: a genuine employer pays you, never the other way around. Any request for payment — for training materials, a “starter kit,” background check fees, equipment, or a deposit “refundable on your first paycheck” — is a scam, regardless of how legitimate the surrounding communication looks.
The fake cheque variant
A particularly damaging version involves the scammer sending you a real-looking cheque, supposedly for equipment or expenses, and then asking you to send some of it back or forward it to a “supplier.” The cheque later bounces, but not before you’ve sent genuine money from your own account — leaving you liable for the full amount. Any employer sending you money and then asking for some of it back is functionally always a scam.
Other red flags worth treating seriously
- Unrealistically fast hiring. Going from application to a job offer the same day, especially via text-only “interviews” with no call or video contact, is a strong warning sign.
- Pay that’s noticeably above the market rate for the role and experience level described, used as bait to generate interest quickly.
- Vague job descriptions. Recruiters who mention pay rates (sometimes framed as generous daily or weekly figures) but can’t or won’t describe what the actual work involves.
- Entirely remote, no-verification hiring processes for roles that would normally involve at least some real-time interaction, with communication happening only via text or messaging apps.
- Use of a well-known company’s name by a “recruiter” who isn’t actually employed there — always verify independently through the real company’s official careers page or HR contact, not the contact details the recruiter provides.
How to verify a job offer before engaging further
- Look up the company independently and check the vacancy appears on their own official careers page, not just a message or third-party listing
- Search the company or recruiter’s name alongside the word “scam” to see if others have reported similar experiences
- Never pay for the promise of a job — training, equipment, certification or background checks that a genuine employer requires are their cost, not yours, or are clearly explained and verifiable in advance
- Be suspicious of any job offer you never applied for, particularly one arriving via unsolicited text or social media message
- Insist on at least one verifiable, real-time interaction (a phone or video call) before sharing any personal or financial information
Personal information is also a target
Beyond direct payment requests, some job scams exist purely to harvest personal information — National Insurance numbers, bank details for “payroll set-up,” or copies of ID documents — submitted through a fake application or onboarding form before any real job exists. Treat requests for sensitive personal or financial information before a formal, verified job offer with the same caution as a request for money.
If you think you’ve been targeted
- Stop all further communication and don’t send any further payment or information
- If you’ve sent money or a cheque, contact your bank immediately
- If you’ve shared personal information such as ID documents or bank details, monitor your accounts and consider a fraud alert with a credit reference agency
- Report it to Action Fraud (actionfraud.police.uk or 0300 123 2040)