How To Identify Remote Job Scams

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Landing a job is an incredibly difficult thing to do. As an applicant, you’ll spend an average of six to seven months looking for a job, and the process can be even longer if you’re looking for a remote position. 

The good news is that there are plenty of opportunities out there for those willing to look; the bad news? Not all of them are legitimate. 

In the first quarter of 2022, fake business opportunities and false job advertisements cost US citizens a total of $68 million. That’s just three months’ worth of job scams. This is a serious issue – and worse yet, it’s a difficult issue to stay ahead of. Scammers are constantly coming up with new ways to dupe the average jobseeker. 

So, what strategies can you employ to make sure you don’t become a victim of a remote job scam? There are plenty of things you can do, but let’s cover the top five.

1. Be Educated on the Types of Scams

Many of us hold the belief that we are too smart, or too switched-on, to be caught out by a scam. The truth is, anyone can fall victim to a scam – even the most educated among us. It isn’t just the grandparents of the world who are being scammed out of their life savings; it’s happening to young people, too. 

There are plenty of different types of scams out there, and each one is designed to target a specific type of person. The most common remote job scams include: 

• Data entry jobs: These usually involve the applicant paying a fee upfront in order to access a database of companies that need data entry workers. The problem is, the database doesn’t exist. 
• Pyramid schemes: Multi-level marketing (MLM) schemes that require you to recruit other people in order to make money. These are illegal in many countries.
• Get-rich-quick schemes: Any scheme that promises you overnight wealth is likely a scam. This could involve anything from investing in cryptocurrency to forex trading. 
• Overpayment: Some ’employers’ will send you a check for more than the agreed-upon amount, asking you to send them back the difference. The check will eventually bounce, and you’ll be out of pocket.
• Full-time pay: To attract low-income individuals, some scams will offer full-time pay (or higher) for the part-time or casual workload. It seems too good to be true… and it is. The scammer will fail to pay you in the best case scenario, or worst case, sell your information.

2. Be Realistic About Offers 

Once you know what scams to look out for, it’s much easier to identify a legitimate remote job offer from a fake one. The golden rule here is to always be realistic about what you’re being offered.

For example, if you’re being offered a job that pays $30 an hour for data entry work, that’s probably unrealistic. Data entry jobs usually pay around minimum wage, so anything above that should send up a red flag. 

Other things to look out for include:

• Offers that are significantly lower or higher than your experience level warrants
• Jobs that require no experience
• Jobs that are located in a different country to where you live 
• Unrealistic job descriptions (e.g. jobs that ask for 10 hours of work per week but state the salary as if it were full-time)

3. Do Your Research on the Company 

When you’ve been approached about a job, take some time to research the company thoroughly. This isn’t always a no-brainer – some scammers are very good at making their fake companies look real. Check the validity of their address, look for reviews online, and reverse-image search their company logo before signing on the dotted line. 

4. Talk To A Real Person 

Remote scams are notorious for being difficult to track down. The best way to combat this is by ensuring you talk to a real person before committing to anything. 

A good way to test whether the company is legitimate is by asking for a video call instead of just an email or chat conversation. This will allow you to see the person you’re talking to, and ensure they’re who they say they are. If they refuse a video call, that’s usually a bad sign.

5. Guard Your Data 

Finally, be aware that a legitimate job will never ask for personal documents outright. Never send an image of your license or passport, and never give away sensitive information like your social security number.

If a company asks you for any of this information, that’s a huge red flag. The only time you should ever share this type of data is once you’ve been hired, and even then, only do so over a secure channel.

In Summary

Even if these points feel obvious, it’s worth repeating that scammers are becoming more and more sophisticated. The best way to protect yourself is by staying up-to-date on the latest scams, and being realistic about what job offers you’re willing to accept. 

When in doubt, always err on the side of caution. Remote work comes with a multitude of benefits – but if something feels too good to be true, it probably is!