As economic anxiety grows and the demand for remote work increases, job offer scams are rising sharply, targeting Americans with promises of high pay for minimal effort, Business Insider reports.
These fraudulent schemes, often delivered via text, are luring job seekers — particularly younger generations — into handing over personal data or even money under the guise of employment opportunities.
According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Americans lost a reported $470 million to text message scams in 2024 — a fivefold increase since 2020. Job-related scams were the second most reported type, just behind fake package delivery notifications. Despite how implausible these offers may seem to some, scammers continue to use them because they work.
“We are definitely seeing both a growth in reported losses to text scams and also a growth in reported losses to job scams,” said Kati Daffan, an attorney with the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection.
From 2020 to 2023, reported losses from job scams more than tripled.
The scams typically arrive through unsolicited messages that appear to be from well-known companies, offering remote roles with unusually high pay for tasks like liking videos or rating products. In some cases, the scammers request personal information such as Social Security numbers, bank details, or even upfront payments for “equipment.” One common tactic includes sending a fake check for more than the equipment cost and asking the victim to return the difference — only for the check to later bounce.
Experts warn that these schemes are becoming more sophisticated. Advances in artificial intelligence allow fraudsters to craft convincing messages free of the tell-tale grammar errors that once helped people identify scams. Additionally, interviews may take place entirely via text, or scammers may promise to pay in cryptocurrency — all red flags according to cybersecurity researchers.
Selena Larson, a threat researcher at cybersecurity firm Proofpoint, noted that as unemployment rises, so too does vulnerability.
“If the scams aren’t necessarily increasing, the likelihood that people might fall for them will be,” she said.
Younger adults are proving especially susceptible. Gen Z and millennials, who often make life decisions via smartphones and are comfortable with informal digital communication, are more likely to accept job inquiries by text without suspicion. Many are also eager for side hustles and extra income — particularly given the challenging job market — making them ideal targets.
Eva Velasquez, CEO of the Identity Theft Resource Center, noted that legitimate employers also require sensitive data, which blurs the line for unsuspecting victims.
“That’s why it’s confusing to people,” she said.
What makes fighting these scams so difficult is the lack of a coordinated response. Kate Griffin of the Aspen Institute’s Financial Security Program pointed out that no single federal entity oversees scam prevention. Enforcement efforts are scattered across the FTC, the FBI, the Treasury Department, and other agencies, with no unified strategy.
Private-sector responses have also struggled to keep up. Alex Quilici, CEO of YouMail, a spam-blocking service, said that telecom providers are in a difficult position. They provide the infrastructure for messaging but don’t control message content. Efforts like CTIA’s secure messaging initiative aim to stem the tide, but incentives to act decisively remain weak.
In the meantime, the burden falls on consumers to remain vigilant. The FTC recommends avoiding links in unsolicited texts or messages and warns that legitimate employers won’t conduct interviews solely by text or request money from applicants. If a job offer seems too good to be true, it likely is.
Experts suggest pausing before responding to job texts, verifying any offer independently, and reporting suspicious activity to the FTC. While education and awareness are improving, the fast-changing landscape — and growing financial pressures — make this a persistent threat.
“Scammers know that people are looking to work and make extra income,” said Daffan. “And if they can make a scam look convincing, there’s a market out there. Unfortunately, that continues to be the case.”
