How to spot fake job postings and job scams

By the RollHound team · Updated October 12, 2026 · 2 min read

The short answer

A real employer will never ask you to pay for a job, buy equipment with your own money to be reimbursed later, deposit a check and send part of it back, or give bank details before you've been formally hired. Verify the job on the company's own website, and be wary of offers made after a chat-only interview.

Key takeaways

Never pay to get a job, and never forward money from a check you were sent.
Check that the job is listed on the company's official careers page.
Be suspicious of offers made quickly, with no real interview, or with pay far above the norm.
Report scams at ReportFraud.ftc.gov in the US.

Common warning signs

You're offered a job you didn't apply for, or hired after a short text or chat interview.
The pay is unusually high for little work or experience.
Messages come from a personal email address or a domain that doesn't match the company.
You're asked to pay for training, equipment, background checks or a "starter kit".
You're sent a check and asked to deposit it and send some of the money elsewhere.
You're pressured to act immediately or keep the offer secret.
You're asked for your Social Security number or bank details before a formal offer.

How to check a job is real

Find the job on the company's official website. Type the address yourself rather than clicking a link in a message.
Look up the recruiter on LinkedIn and confirm they work at the company.
Call the company's main number from its website and ask whether the role and person are real.
Search the company name with words like "scam" or "fake recruiter" to see if others have reported it.

RollHound only collects jobs from company career sites and job sources, removes duplicate listings, and shows you where each posting came from so you can confirm it on the employer's own site.

If you think you've been targeted

Stop responding and don't send money or personal information. If you shared bank details, contact your bank right away. In the US you can report job scams to the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov, and identity theft at IdentityTheft.gov. Report fake postings to the job site where you found them too.

Being targeted by a scam is not a sign you did anything wrong. Scammers deliberately go after people who need work.

Common questions

Can a legitimate employer send me a check for equipment?

Be very cautious. The "deposit this check, buy equipment from our vendor" pattern is one of the most common job scams: the check bounces after you've sent real money. Legitimate employers usually ship equipment directly or reimburse expenses through payroll after you're hired.

Is a job interview over text or chat a scam?

Not always, but an offer made entirely through text or a chat app, without a video or phone conversation with a real person, is a strong warning sign. Ask for a call and verify the company before sharing anything personal.