How to spot red flags of fake jobs as scams rise

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) - Amy Witz landed what she thought was the perfect job interview after searching through a popular job site for part-time positions.

According to the annual BBB Scam Tracker Risk Report , employment scams like these are rising.

The Better Business Bureau received 54 percent more complaints in 2023. The organization lists employment scams as the second riskiest type, with a median dollar loss of $1,995.

"I went back to look at the job and it wasn't there. I was like 'why are they asking me to interview for it if they filled it?'" Witz wondered. "Something wasn't right. And then the email address wasn't the company's name."

Something similar happened to Renee Summerour when she applied for a copywriter position with a different company. She was even offered the job on the spot.

"The company was going to send me a check so that I could buy the necessary software to do the remote position. That's when I thought, 'I think this is a scam,'"

Witz and Summerour contacted the real companies to confirm their suspicions.

"They said that that was not them," Witz learned. "It was definitely a scam."

Summerour said the real company told her they would never give anyone a check.

To avoid losing money, BBB of Southern Nevada Operations Director Rhonda Mettler recommends that you do what Witz and Summerour did. Research the person who contacted you and look into the company they claim they work for.

"If you cannot find any information on the company, it's probably not a real company," added Mettler. "If it is a real company, you need to contact that company directly, not through whatever link you found or whatever phone numbers provided in the ad or posting,"

Mettler says not to cash a check sent by a job to get supplies before your first day.

She explained it could most likely be a bad check, and your bank could later hold you accountable for any money you spent and any bounced check fees.

"If you have questions about the check, you can take it to your bank and you can ask them," shared Metler.

If the job asks you for money, end the interview process immediately and report the scam .

"You shouldn't have to pay for employment," advised Mettler. "They're hiring you to pay you to do a job for them."

According to experts, it is also common for scammers to get you off of these job sites and conduct interviews on messaging apps.

If you're never invited for an in-person or video interview, that's a red flag.

LinkedIn and the BBB list other ways scammers try to reel in job seekers and the ways you can spot fake postings.

You can report scams to the FBI or local law enforcement.