Ghost jobs, AI impersonation among leading tactics used in remote employment scams
GUAYNABO, Puerto Rico, Feb. 18, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- According to recent surveys, 25% of people said they have been a victim of a job scam once or more than once, and 45% reported that "recognizing and avoiding job scams" is one of the biggest challenges of job searching. To help professionals stay safe in their job search ahead of National Consumer Protection Week, FlexJobs® has shared 30 remote job scams to watch out for in 2025. In addition to detailing the newest and most prevalent employment scams affecting the remote work landscape, the report includes job search safety tips and warning signs from FlexJobs' team of career experts.
30 Remote Job Scams in 2025
1. Fake Jobs and Companies
2. Job Board Impersonations
3. Ghost Jobs
4. Impersonating Colleges and Universities
5. Phishing Scams
6. Upfront Fees and Payment Requests
7. Too-Good-to-Be-True Jobs
8. Unsolicited Job Offers
9. Job Interview Scams
10. Fake Recruiters
11. ATS-Compliant "Services"
12. Fake Staffing Agency
13. Fake Job Boards
14. LinkedIn Scams
15. Fraudulent Social Media Recruitment
16. Messaging App Scams
17. Remote Pyramid Schemes
18. Gamified Tasks
19. Reshipping Jobs
20. Data Entry Scams
21. Mystery Shoppers
22. Fake Cryptocurrency Exchanges or Ponzi Schemes
23. Fake Government Jobs
24. Envelope Stuffing
25. Rebate Processor
26. Assembling Crafts/Products
27. Fake Wire Transfers
28. Fake VPNs
29. Google Doc Scams: Inviting or Mentioning
30. Career Advancement Grants
"Job scams are likely to become even more prevalent in the future, so it's important professionals stay aware and informed," said Toni Frana, Career Expert Manager at FlexJobs.
Historically, posting fake jobs has been one of the most commonly used scams to deceive job seekers into providing sensitive personal information. In recent years, scammers are using AI to generate highly realistic job postings, fake employee profiles, and convincing websites, making it harder for professionals to determine whether or not a job listing is legitimate.
"Especially when it comes to a remote career search, the best defense is to stick to well-known and secure job boards, confirm the legitimacy of job postings and companies hiring, and stay up to date with the warning signs of employment scams," Frana added.
Job Search Safety Tips
- Research Thoroughly: Investigate companies and job postings, checking for inconsistencies or red flags.
- Verify Contact Information: Confirm the legitimacy of email addresses and phone numbers.
- Be Wary of Upfront Costs: Never pay money for a job opportunity.
- Protect Personal Information: Be extremely cautious about sharing sensitive data.
- Trust Your Instincts: If something feels suspicious, it probably is.
- Report Suspicious Activity: Report scams to the BBB and FTC.
Job Scam Warning Signs
- The job posting uses words that are probably too good to be true, such as "quick money," "unlimited earning potential," or "free work-from-home jobs"
- The job posting has glaring grammatical or spelling errors
- The job claims to pay a lot of money for little work or the company boasts several rags-to-riches stories that showcase high-flying lifestyles
- The product is supposedly endorsed by celebrities or public figures
- The contact email address is personal (e.g., [email protected]) or one that mimics a real company's email address (e.g., [email protected])
- The job requires several up-front expenses from candidates
- The entire recruitment process is conducted through chat platforms, avoiding phone or video calls
FlexJobs provides resources and expert advice to help job seekers navigate the remote job market safely. On March 4, the career site will host How to Avoid Job Scams, a special webinar covering the different types of employment scams and how workers can spot the warning signs to better protect themselves.
For more information, please visit https://www.flexjobs.com/blog/post/common-job-search-scams-how-to-protect-yourself-v2 or contact Shanna Briggs at [email protected].
About FlexJobs
FlexJobs is the leading career service specializing in remote, hybrid, and flexible jobs, with over 135 million people having used its resources since 2007. FlexJobs provides the highest-quality database of vetted remote and flexible job listings, from entry-level to executive, startups to public companies, part-time to full-time. To support job seekers in all phases of their career journey, FlexJobs also offers extensive expert advice, webinars and other resources. In parallel, FlexJobs works with leading companies to recruit quality remote talent and optimize their remote and flexible workplace. A trusted source for data, trends and insight, FlexJobs has been cited extensively in top national outlets, including CNN, the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, CNBC, Forbes magazine and many more. FlexJobs also has partner sites Remote.co and Job-Hunt.org to help round out its content and job search offerings. Follow FlexJobs on LinkedIn, Facebook, X, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.
Media Contact
Shanna Briggs, FlexJobs, 866-991-9222, [email protected], www.flexjobs.com
SOURCE FlexJobs
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