What are the red flags of this scam?

You received an unsolicited text or message about a job you never applied for • The recruiter claims to be from a well-known company but contacts you only through a personal messaging app • The job involves simple tasks like rating products, liking posts, or completing online surveys for pay • You are sent a check and told to deposit it and wire or Zelle a portion back — a classic overpayment scam • You are asked to pay upfront for software, training, or equipment before you can start

What should I do if this happened to me?

Ignore and delete unsolicited job texts — legitimate employers do not recruit via cold texts or WhatsApp • Never deposit a check from an unknown sender and wire or send back any portion — you will be held liable for the full amount when the check bounces • Verify any recruiter by searching the company's official website directly and calling their listed HR number • Report to the FTC at https://reportfraud.ftc.gov and the FBI's IC3 at https://www.ic3.gov.

HIGH job Share

Unsolicited text offering a remote job eventually demands money

An unexpected text, WhatsApp, or Telegram message from a fake recruiter claims to be hiring for a remote role at a real company. After you engage, you are asked to deposit a check and wire back part of the money, or pay out-of-pocket for training, tasks, or equipment.

Also known as: fake recruiter text scam, remote job text scam, task-based money mule scam, online job SMS scam

Already happened to you? Do this in the next few minutes

1 Call your bank or card's fraud line right now. Use the number on the back of your card — not any number from the message or caller. Ask them to stop or reverse the payment and freeze the account.
2 If you paid by gift card, wire, or an app (Zelle, Venmo, Cash App): contact that company immediately and report it as fraud. Acting fast sometimes recovers the money.
3 Report to the FBI at ic3.gov and the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov. The sooner, the better.

What to do right now

1 Ignore and delete unsolicited job texts — legitimate employers do not recruit via cold texts or WhatsApp
2 Never deposit a check from an unknown sender and wire or send back any portion — you will be held liable for the full amount when the check bounces
3 Verify any recruiter by searching the company's official website directly and calling their listed HR number
4 Report to the FTC at https://reportfraud.ftc.gov and the FBI's IC3 at https://www.ic3.gov.

Got a website or job offer to check?

Paste the link or the recruiter’s email into our free site checker — domain age, look-alike signs, and ways to verify the company independently.

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Red flags

⚠ You received an unsolicited text or message about a job you never applied for
⚠ The recruiter claims to be from a well-known company but contacts you only through a personal messaging app
⚠ The job involves simple tasks like rating products, liking posts, or completing online surveys for pay
⚠ You are sent a check and told to deposit it and wire or Zelle a portion back — a classic overpayment scam
⚠ You are asked to pay upfront for software, training, or equipment before you can start

Known variants

AI-generated fake LinkedIn recruiter profile impersonates a real company's HR team. A deepfake video interview is conducted on Zoom or Teams. After a quick 'offer,' victim is asked for SSN and bank details for 'payroll setup,' or must pay an upfront equipment or training fee.

Last seen: 6/9/2026

Already happened to you? Do this in the next few minutes

What to do right now

Red flags

Known variants

Sources