Active threat: This scam report was verified recently. Details and tactics may still be actively used by scammers.
Scam Analysis: This is an employment scam delivered by text. Messages claim a recruiter saw your résumé online and wants to offer a remote position with unusually high pay — often with no interview. The goal is to move you to email or Telegram, send a fake check for “equipment,” or assign paid tasks that require upfront deposits. Legitimate employers do not hire via unsolicited texts without verification.
Related guides: employment scam warning signs · text message phishing · advance-fee fraud · report this scam.
Reported June 2026 — The FTC warns that fake job-offer texts are surging. Scammers impersonate recruiters from well-known companies and target job seekers with offers that sound too good to skip.
How This Scam Works
- Unsolicited text: “Hi, I’m Sarah from [Company] HR. We reviewed your LinkedIn profile and would like to offer you a remote position paying $85/hr.”
- Fast-track hiring: No interview, background check, or video call — just a link to “complete onboarding.”
- Fake check: You receive a check for home-office equipment and are told to wire part of it to a “vendor” — the check bounces after you send real money.
- Task scam variant: You’re assigned online tasks with small payouts, then told to deposit funds to unlock higher-paying assignments.
- Data harvest: Onboarding forms collect your SSN, bank details, and ID copies for identity theft.
Red Flags
- Job offer via text from someone you never applied to or interviewed with
- Pay far above market rate for entry-level remote work
- Requests to buy equipment with a check they send you
- Communication moves quickly to WhatsApp, Telegram, or personal email
- Pressure to start before verifying the company through official channels
What To Do
- Verify the employer by contacting the company through their official careers page — not the number or link in the text
- Never deposit checks from unknown employers or send money to “vendors” they assign
- Protect your SSN — do not share it until you have confirmed a legitimate offer in writing
- Report to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and on our Report a Scam form
Remember: ScamReporting.org is an independent awareness platform — not law enforcement. If you sent money or shared personal data, see our recovery steps.