We’ve all done it: clicked a phishing link despite thinking we’d never fall for it. Then comes the scramble to get IT on the line. At work, we’ve learned to watch for email scams—checking sender addresses, hovering over links, questioning unexpected attachments. It’s become second nature. With the rise in hiring scams, it’s time to extend that same caution to your job search.

According to the Federal Trade Commission, job scams tripled from 2020 to 2024, and the Better Business Bureau identified them among the three riskiest consumer scams for the second year in a row. These scams can compromise your data and cost you time (and money) during what can already be a stressful and vulnerable process. The good news is that once you know what to look for, you can protect yourself. Here’s how.

Who Is at Risk for Hiring Scams?

Unfortunately, everyone. While early career professionals are frequently targeted, executive-level scams are increasing, and they’re more sophisticated. The tricky thing is that some aspects of senior executive recruiting may look suspicious even if they are legitimate. Confidential searches where the client isn’t named upfront are standard practice. Roles aren’t always posted publicly on the hiring organization’s website. Initial outreach might come from a firm you’ve never heard of. These can all be normal at the executive level, but you have to verify before you move forward.

Reputable executive recruiters come from firms with established websites, LinkedIn presence, client testimonials, and a track record you can research. Even in confidential searches, a recruiter will provide the client’s name after your initial conversation so you can research the organization before moving forward. If a recruiter won’t share basic information about themselves or their firm, that’s a big red flag.

Before You Apply or Share Any Information

The best defense against job scams is doing your homework before you engage. Here’s what to check:

  • Verify the organization and the position. Check the organization’s website and LinkedIn page to see if the position is actually posted. Scammers are increasingly posing as HR reps or recruiters from well-known companies like Amazon, Google, WBD Global Streaming, Aquent, Creative Niche, Scion Staffing, Marriott, and Target. That list is growing.
  • If you’re contacted by a recruiter, verify them too. Check the recruiting firm’s website for the position posting. Look up the recruiter on the company’s team page and LinkedIn to verify they work where they claim to. Check to see if they and their firm have followers and have a history of posting content. Cross-check the contact information on the firm’s website and team profiles with details included in the communication about the job.
  • Search for scam reports online. Search online for the company or recruiter’s name and the word “scam” and check websites like the BBB or Trustpilot for reviews or complaints about the organization.

Job Scam Warning Signs

Once you’ve verified the basics and started engaging, watch for these warning signs:

  • Requests for money or sensitive information. Legitimate employers never ask for banking details or any personal information that isn’t on your resume (like your social security number or birth date) before you’re hired. Money should never exchange hands during a hiring process—not for background checks, equipment, training materials, or anything else. If someone asks you to cash a check and send money back, it’s a scam.
  • Request to continue the conversation in a messaging app. While recruiters may send initial outreach via text, reputable recruiters and employers will quickly move communication to email or phone. A request to begin using a messaging app like WhatsApp is likely a scam.
  • A job offer after email- or text-only communication. If your only communication has been through email, text, or a messaging app and you’ve already received an offer, it’s almost certainly a scam. Reputable organizations conduct multiple interviews—at minimum, video calls with actual people you’d be working with—before extending offers.
  • Unprofessional communication. Watch for strange phrasing, incorrect grammar, emails from personal accounts (Gmail, Yahoo, etc.), or odd company domains. Email domains have two parts: the second-level domain (usually the company name) and the top-level domain (such as .com or .org). Scammers often exploit this by using look-alike domains (slight variations in a company name) or uncommon top-level domains, such as “.us.”
  • Too-good-to-be-true compensation. If the salary seems unusually high for the role level or the benefits sound unrealistic, be extremely skeptical.
  • An undue sense of urgency. Legitimate job opportunities don’t come with urgent language like “We need to fill this role ASAP.” Be suspicious of any messaging implying that if you don’t act now, you’ll miss the opportunity. If someone is pushing you to decide immediately, walk away.

What Legitimate Hiring Looks Like

Every organization’s hiring process is a little different, but reputable executive search firms and employers follow an in-depth process to hire the most qualified candidates. Most of the time, your experience will include:

  • You’ll have phone or video interviews with the actual recruiter and hiring manager, not just email or text.
  • The employer or recruiter should offer an overview of the hiring process with realistic timeframes.
  • All correspondence should come from company email addresses with proper grammar and formatting. You should be given the phone number of your contact and be able to call them with questions.
  • Before any offer, you’ll also talk face-to-face with the people you’d be working with, either in person or on a video call.
  • Background checks happen after an offer, never before, and you never pay for them
  • The process should take weeks, not days. Even if an organization is excited about you as a candidate, there are always levels of review and evaluation to go through before they hire you.

We break down what to expect when working with an executive search firm as a candidate in more detail here.

Don’t Be Alarmed, Adjust

It can be overwhelming to constantly guard against scams in our technology-driven world, but it may help to think about this as just another part of the research you’d do for any potential role. Employers and recruiters expect candidates to do their homework. They want people who ask thoughtful questions and protect their own interests. Scammers, on the other hand, expect job seekers to be so eager for an opportunity that they ignore red flags. They’ll push you. Don’t let them. Here’s a quick formula to follow.

When you receive outreach about a job:

  • Take 10 minutes to look up the company and the person who contacted you.
  • Check if the role is posted on the company or recruiting firm website.
  • Search the company or recruiter’s name + “scam” to see what comes up. (While not verified, job seekers often post about scams on Reddit too.)

During the interview process:

  • Ask direct questions about the timeline, next steps, and who you’ll be meeting with.
  • Expect multiple real conversations (phone, video, or in-person) before any offer.
  • Disengage if anyone asks for banking information or money for any reason.

If something feels wrong:

  • Walk away.
  • You don’t owe anyone an explanation. A simple “I’ve decided to pursue other opportunities” is enough.
  • Report suspected scams to the BBB and FTC to help other job seekers become aware and protect themselves.

Staffing Advisors is accredited with an A+ rating by the Better Business Bureau. Our team is recognized for our commitment to transparency, fairness, and trusted partnerships with every client and candidate we serve. Read verified reviews from those who have worked with us here.

More Job Scam Prevention Resources