By Ethan Faverino |

Scammers are posing as recruiters, offering tempting remote job opportunities to steal your money or personal information.

The Better Business Bureau (BBB) is urging consumers to stay vigilant, as job scams continue to rise. According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) over 103,000 employment scam complaints were made in 2024, resulting in an overwhelming $220 million in losses.

Fraudulent recruiters claim to represent well-known companies and reach out via email, text message, or even social media platforms such as LinkedIn and WhatsApp.

These messages often come from personal email accounts like @gmail.com or @yahoo.com rather than corporate domains.

Scammers may send what appears to be an official invitation for a virtual interview, complete with job descriptions and benefits.

However, they often move quickly, extending job offers and sending paperwork that requests sensitive information, such as bank account details, Social Security number, or even in some cases, cryptocurrency payments for “training” or “equipment.”

According to the BBB’s 2024 Scam Tracker Risk Report, employment scams ranked among the top five riskiest scams, with a medium loss of $1,500 per victim.

It is important to remember that legitimate employers do not request sensitive information or payment until after a formal hiring process is complete.

There are multiple ways to spot a job scam.

Make sure to check the sender’s email address or contact details. Legitimate recruiters use verified company emails or phone numbers, not personal accounts like Gmail and Yahoo.

Watch out for requests for personal information or any form of payment. Make sure that you are not asked to share your Social Security number, driver’s license number, bank details, or make any upfront payments before an interview or offer.

The FTC reported that 68% of job scam victims shared personal information before recognizing the fraud.

If you are unaware or uneasy about the recruiter or the company, you can always search for the name and companies online to confirm legitimacy. Most of the time you can go straight to the company’s official website or HR department or use other websites like the Better Business Bureau to make sure the recruiter and or company is legit.

Always be skeptical of job offers that are “too good to be true.” Job offers that promise high pay for little work or include vague responsibilities should raise concern.

The BBB notes that 43% of job scam complaints involved remote work offers, often targeting younger job seekers.

Ethan Faverino is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.