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Working from home can be legitimate, flexible and useful — but scammers know people are looking for remote income. This guide gives you a simple way to slow down, check an offer, and recognize the warning signs before sending money or personal information.
Quick rule: A real job should pay you. If someone says you must send money, crypto, gift cards or part of a check back in order to get paid, stop.
Be suspicious of generic job offers that arrive out of nowhere by text, WhatsApp, Telegram or social media, especially when the sender gives almost no details about the actual work.
A supposed employer asks you to deposit your own money before you can withdraw earnings, unlock tasks, receive assignments or start working. That is a major warning sign.
Offers involving product boosting, optimization, ratings, likes or repetitive clicks can be task scams. A dashboard may show fake earnings and then demand your money to continue.
The “company” sends a check and tells you to buy equipment, gift cards or return part of the money. A bank may initially show the funds, but a fake check can later bounce and leave you responsible.
A job where you receive merchandise, repackage it and ship it elsewhere is a classic warning sign. Legitimate employers do not need your home to act as an anonymous package relay.
“$500 a day from your phone” sounds exciting, but vague duties plus unusually high guaranteed income should make you investigate before responding.
Scammers do not want you researching the company or talking with someone you trust. Artificial urgency — “only two positions left” or “respond in 10 minutes” — is a reason to slow down.
Do not hand over banking details, Social Security information or identity documents just because someone claims to be a recruiter. First verify the employer and the position independently.
Search the company name and recruiter independently. Look for the employer's real website and careers page, and search the name with words such as “scam,” “review” and “complaint.”
Legitimate jobs and businesses involve real work and uncertainty. Claims of large, guaranteed income for almost no effort deserve extra scrutiny.
After checking an opportunity carefully, explore our practical guides to work-from-home options for retirees and older adults, ways to earn extra income online, and the main Work From Home center.
This guide is based in part on current Federal Trade Commission consumer guidance. For official information, visit FTC Job Scams and FTC: Job Scams. If you believe you were targeted by a scam, use the FTC's official reporting resources.