How to Identify Remote Job Misrepresentation

The Spam in My Pocket: A Recruiter’s Take on the Rise of Scammy Job Texts This morning, I woke up to another unsolicited job text. “Hi, I’m Lily from KLARNA…” it began—offering $500 a day for 90 minutes of remote work, “free training,” and a suspiciously vague task involving “visibility and bookings.” Here’s the thing: I’m a recruiter. I live and breathe this industry. And even I had to blink twice. These kinds of messages are everywhere now. Dressed in language meant to sound official, generous, and urgent—while hiding the fact they’re likely scams trying to bait job seekers into giving up personal info or worse. I get the appeal. People are looking for flexible work. They’re burned out, underpaid, and trying to make it all work. And yes—legitimate recruiters DO use text messaging to reach out to talent. But here’s the problem: scam texts are flooding the zone, making it harder for real opportunities to break through the noise. It creates mistrust. It makes people skeptical of even real offers. And it pollutes the very channels recruiters use to do good, honest work. So, here are a few real-world tips to spot a fake job text before it wastes your time (or compromises your data): 1. Too good to be true? It probably is. $500/day for 90 minutes of remote work? Sounds amazing. Too amazing. Most jobs that pay that much require a lot more than a resume forwarded by “online agencies.” 2. Check the company’s official channels. If Klarna—or any company—has 20 urgent remote openings, you’ll see it on their Careers page. You won’t only hear about it via a 7:10 AM iMessage. 3. No professional email, no deal. If a recruiter’s reaching out, they should have a verifiable email, LinkedIn profile, and some kind of online presence tied to the company or agency they represent. 4. Watch for vague roles. “Helping merchants update data” and “increasing bookings” without any mention of the actual job function? That’s a smoke signal. 5. Ask questions. A legitimate recruiter won’t panic if you ask who they report to, what department they’re in, or how they got your information. A scammer will. We’re in a weird moment in recruiting. AI-generated messages, offshore text blasts, and predatory scams are muddying the waters. If you’re job searching, stay sharp—but don’t get jaded. There are still real people doing real recruiting with care, integrity, and transparency. You just have to know how to separate the signal from the noise. And recruiters? Let’s take back the credibility of our craft. — Want help spotting shady outreach? Drop a comment or DM me. We’re in this together. #recruiting #jobsearch #scamalert #talentacquisition

🚨 Job Seekers, Be Aware of Employment Scams! 🚨 If you're currently in a career transition like I am, please stay alert—scammers are targeting job seekers with increasingly convincing fake job offers. Recently, clients and fellow LinkedIn members have received what looked like an exciting remote opportunity from someone claiming to be a recruiter at a reputable company. The “offer” included: ✧ A remote position with great pay ✧ A promise of sending me a check to purchase equipment and start training ✧ A request for my full name, address, and phone number to “mail the check” ❗Red flags: 🔹 The recruiter used a free email account (like Outlook or Gmail), not a company domain 🔹 The company name and recruiter credentials didn't match up 🔹 You were offered the job without an interview 🔹 They asked you to deposit a check and buy equipment from a “vendor” they would specify later 👉 This is a classic fake check scam. Once you deposit the check and spend money, the check will bounce, and you’re on the hook for the funds. 💡 Tips to protect yourself: ✅ Always verify recruiter emails—check that the domain matches the company ✅ Be skeptical of offers that don’t include a real interview process ✅ Never deposit checks or transfer money as part of your onboarding ✅ When in doubt, reach out to the company directly through their official website Let’s help each other stay safe. If you've seen something similar, please share your experience below. 👇 #JobSearch #CareerTransition #JobScams #RemoteWork #EmploymentFraud #LinkedInTips #StaySafeOnline

Beware of seemingly legitimate ads for open roles and you email your info to Person@gmail.com Major corporations and recruiting firms don’t use @gmail or @outlook as official emails. There are dozens of scams asking for your resume for remote roles and even on site roles. They can be phishing scams not only getting your resume history but also if you say “yes” then you’ll likely have handed over your address, social, bank info etc. —only to find out that no job exists. Please be careful and do your research! Go to the company’s website. Search for leadership and HR personnel. Ask the “recruiter” for names and emails and see what you get. Check LI and FB for profiles and connections. Scamming is deeper level now and assisted by AI stealing info from across numerous sources. Be careful.

A candidate accepted a remote role last winter, then called me 6 months later to tell me her firm changed tune and required her to come into the office 2x per week.   The problem is their office is 1.5 hours away.   She had an offer from our client located down the street from her house, but took the remote role.   Now she wanted to revisit conversations with our client.   Other candidates have told me similar stories of firms advertising remote and then changing policy shortly after getting hired.   This unfortunate dishonesty means candidates have to be even more cautious about remote offers.   The good news is there are firms that offer legitimate remote positions though! So here are some questions you can ask when considering one: - How long has the firm offered fully remote? - What percentage of the company works remotely? - When was the last time you promoted a fully remote employee? - What does the company's training program look like? - Are there company-wide gatherings once or twice per year? - There has been a lot of merger & acquisition activity in the public accounting space the last several years. What is the firm's 10 year outlook and does that involve a potential sale or merger?   The answers to these questions will give you insight into how seriously the company takes remote culture.   I am a huge advocate for remote work, but it's not for everyone. And I hate to see candidates get blindsided by things like the story above.   It is worth acknowledging that remote roles are increasingly rare and competitive. Hybrid opportunities increase your options and can provide greater job security.   Always carefully consider your options and, if you have concerns, a specialized recruiter who knows your field can help.

WARNING: There is a scam nationally/globally using real businesses and their logos to take advantage of employment candidates. We’ve recently become aware that there are scammers using the Bad Rhino Digital Marketing name, logo, and even signature to convince people they are hiring managers. Here’s a few tips to protect yourself and identify if you are engaging with the right contacts for the official company.   If you find a job on a 3rd party site, head to the official company website and look for the careers page. You can apply directly from there.    Keep an eye out for the domain you receive the initial acceptance of your application. If you get ANY emails in your inbox from any companies that you have applied with, please double check to ensure the domain matches. Bad Rhino’s will only be from NAME@badrhinoinc.com email address as you move through the interview process. If anyone asks you to fill out a document as part of the interview process and attach it without any security measures or a link to fill out the information on a live site, question it and try to speak to someone on the phone. Don’t accept ANY jobs that offer you a remote position without any phone or video calls. This is not common practice at all especially for mid to large size businesses. Nor is sending a check or any monies in advance to purchase your material and asking for money back. If this happens, block the address and apply elsewhere.   For those of you scammed over the last few weeks, we are so very sorry for your experience. Let’s spread the word and help people protect themselves.    Stay safe out there and best of luck in your job hunting. We do not do Crypto We do not do any communication via What’s APP #employementscam #scam #hiring

This message goes out to all, whether or not you're looking for a job. But, job seekers, please be extra vigilant. Scammers are taking advantage of people like you at an alarming rate with more frequent and more sophisticated ploys to steal your information, money, and ultimately your trust. The good news is, many of these scammers are lazy, using messages that share DNA that is easy to spot, report, and delete. The screenshot is one I received, let's take a look. 1) Suspicious sender: katherinegarciaguq@outlook.fr 2) Name mismatch: Look at the sender's email and location and the name in the message Katherine and Rachel? Which one is correct? Neither. 3) Formulaic messaging: "Your resume has been recommended by several online recruitment companies..." No it hasn't. 4) Remote work: While there is plenty of legitimate remote work, this is often a red flag. 5) Math isn't mathing: "60 to 90 minutes daily and earn $200 to $500 per day. The base salary is $800 for every 4 days worked, with a 5-day probation period. Afterward you can sign a contract with a base salary of $5,000 per month plus a performance bonus of $1,000 to $3,000." SAY WHAT? 6) Dumb job descriptions: "This flexible role involves assisting (Adjust) merchants with data updates, visibility, and bookings." What's the job title? 7) Telegram, Whatsapp, etc.: Asks you to send a message to a different number, or even says to send via Telegram or Whatsapp. Sometimes you just need to trust your gut. These are extra steps, but you must protect yourself. Here's a are some suggestions: If you ever receive a similar message appearing to be from Energy Hire, rest assured it is not legit. Our Recruiting Specialists are easily identifiable, and verifiable, something a scammer can't do. If you need someone to take a look at a potentially suspicious message you've received, ask a friend or family member to help make a call before you reply. You can also message Michael M. or me and we'll help if we can. #consumerprotection #caveatemptor #protectyourself

I got recruited for an awesome role at Glassdoor —or did I? This message landed in my inbox this morning: “Hello, my name is Emily and I’m a recruiter at Glassdoor. Several recruiting firms have recommended your resume, so our company is offering you an online job…” It goes on to offer $800/day for 30 minutes of remote work, no interview, just message them on WhatsApp or Telegram. 🙄 It’s an obvious scam—but when you’ve been in a long job search, even the most suspicious messages can feel like a lifeline. Job scams surged 118% in 2023, and the people most often targeted are those most vulnerable - older or disabled professionals seeking flexible work, immigrants navigating U.S. hiring norms, and anyone who’s been unemployed for a while and feeling the pressure to land something fast. If that’s you, please know this: 🚫 Scammers are getting more sophisticated. They name-drop real companies and claim your resume was referred by recruiters. ✅ Legit jobs include interviews, detailed job descriptions, and communication from verified channels. ❓Not sure if it’s real? Ask someone you trust—or even paste the message into ChatGPT for a quick red flag check. If you’re unsure, I’m happy to take a look. P.S. For hiring managers and TA teams: Scams like this erode trust in the job market. Make sure your roles and outreach are clear, human, and easy to verify. I’ve seen some brands getting ahead of this and addressing scams head on. #JobSearch #Hiring #Recruitment #JobScams #JobSeekers #CareerAdvice

🚩 5 Red Flags 🚩 to Watch Out for When Applying for Remote Work. 1. They ask for money to hire you 💸" Be cautious if a company says you have the job—but first, you need to pay for training, equipment, or access. That’s not normal. Real employers don’t charge to onboard you. 2. Vague or no job description 🚩  If the job description is super vague or missing details like responsibilities, qualifications, or pay—it’s a red flag. Good companies are clear from the start. 3. No interview? No thanks. ❌ If they offer the job without a single interview or real conversation… run. Scammers skip interviews to move fast before you ask questions. 4. Sketchy communication 🕵️ Watch for personal email addresses, poor grammar, or recruiters who won’t video chat. These are signs of fake or lazy operations. 5. No online presence 🌐 If you can’t find a website, LinkedIn, or reviews? Major red flag. A trustworthy business leaves a trail. Follow @HireMyMom for safe, vetted remote jobs! 👩💻 Remote work is amazing—but only if it’s legit. Save this and share with a friend who’s job hunting!